Three people have been charged, and a fourth is awaiting arraignment, in the first-degree murder of a former New York mob boss who was shot to death northeast of Montreal.
Salvatore "The Ironworker" Montagna was shot and killed in November in Charlemagne, in an assassination that prosecutors allege was the work of a group of criminals.
Under a heavy police presence in Joliette on Wednesday, Raynald Desjardins, Vittorio Mirarchi, and Felice Racaniello were all formally charged with the first-degree murder of Montagna.
Jack Simpson was arrested three weeks ago in Ontario, and has to be transferred before being formally arraigned.
Prosecutors will attempt to prove that the four men launched a conspiracy on Sept. 16, 2011 to murder Montagna.
The accused return to court on Jan. 4.
Bloody battle for control
Montagna was born in Montreal, but spent most of his life in Sicily before moving to New York in the 1990s.
Once there he ran a construction company, but also became involved with the mafia and became one of the youngest-ever bosses of the Bonnano crime family.
Montagna's legal troubles began in 2002 when he refused to testify before a grand jury, and that's when U.S. authorities realized he was not an American citizen.
In 2009 Montagna was deported, and given the choice between Canada or Italy, he came to Canada.
His arrival in Montreal coincided with a string of murders and assassination attempts among the mafia and those with ties to the mob, as it's believed that Montagna was trying to take over control of organized crime.
Desjardins assassination attempt
Over the past two years there have been a number of killings and attempted murders in and around Montreal, perhaps the most significant being those of Nick and Nicolo Rizzuto, respectively the son and father of Vito Rizzuto, who in 2007 pleaded guilty to taking part in a 1981 triple murder.
Vito Rizzuto was sentenced to 10 years in prison including time served, and is scheduled to be released from an American prison in October 2012.
But in addition to the Rizzuto deaths, Desjardins himself came under fire.
On Sept. 16, 2011, Desjardins was outside his Laval home when he survived an assassination attempt that wounded another man.
Desjardins refused to talk to police about the attack, but authorities contend that is when Desjardins, 58, along with his co-accused, launched a plot to murder Montagna.
Montagna abducted before being shot
Montagna was murdered on Nov. 24, 2011 on a small island northeast of Montreal called Ile aux Tresors.
That island is also home to Jack Simpson, 69, who was arrested three weeks ago in Ontario for violating parole.
The Surete du Quebec has said they believe Montagna was abducted and taken to Simpson's home, where he was shot.
Montagna tried to flee on foot, even making it across the river, before he fell unconscious and died of his injuries.
