"DUMBFELLA" BAGGED OVER TOPLESS CLUB

His highly tailored appearance got him nicknamed the Dapper Don; his apparent deftness surviving three high-profile trials (but not a fourth) earned him the nickname the Teflon Don.

By comparison, imprisoned mob boss John J. Gotti's son seemed so mediocre as his successor that the New York press tagged him as Dumbfella. But John A. (Junior) Gotti will now have at least one thing in common with his father: a stretch in the federal clink, in a scheme involving a New York topless club.

The younger Gotti was sentenced last Friday to nearly 6.5 years in federal prison and a million dollar fine for bribery, extortion, and other charges, many coming from a plot to take control of the topless club. He pleaded guilty in April; thirty-nine others have pleaded guilty in the case as well.

Prosecutors said the younger Gotti succeeded his imprisoned father as the head of the once-supreme Carlo Gambino crime family. If convicted in a trial, he could have faced 15 years behind bars and millions in fines, says the Associated Press.

Gotti has until 18 October to surrender. His defense asked for leniency, citing his neighborhood reputation as a Mr. Mom type who coached youth soccer, chauffeured his children to school, and gave generously to charity.

The Associated Press says the prosecution gave the judge excerpts of comments from the elder John Gotti when he learned his son was indicted, fuming over carelessness which allowed investigators to find cash and a roster of mob members.

Gotti said his son and his son's co-defendants should never be sent behind bars. "They should all be sent to the insane asylum."