The stepson of Bernard Marchesani "a convicted loanshark said to have been the most feared collector associated with the Partners," was targeted by federal authorities after his stepfather disappeared before standing trial on conspiracy and racketeering charges along with Anthony Zerilli in March of 1982. Fragale was himself charged and convicted on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury after several attempts to influence witnesses involved in the Marchesani case. Authorities were unable to bring forward charges of participation in the crime by Fragale despite the known fact that he had been the driver for Marchesani and Zerilli on September 5, 1980 when Zerilli and Marchesani were recorded in an attempt to collect or intimidate Donald Robb a convicted felon with a long history of involvment in running financial scams. Robb who had begun cooperating with the FBI in exchange for leniency against pending legal problems of his own, wore an FBI supplied wire during the meeting held at Zerilli's Spaghetti Palace restaurant in Roseville. Fragale's voice was not picked up on the wire preventing prosecutors from linking him to the extortion attempt in court. Fragale did receive a 3 year sentence for tampering with federal witnesses and perjury after he approached Marchesani's mistress and encouraged her to lie on behalf of his stepfather and later lying to a grand jury investigating the disappearance of Marchesani. This conviction was bolstered by Fragale's own admission to associate John Rummel that he had "lyed through his teeth," during the grand jury questioning. This admission was picked up on a FBI wire worn that day by Rummel a former Cadillac dealer from Roseville. Fragale 39 "at the time of his sentencing," was sentenced on August 6,1982.
