 While Joey Merlino was in prison in 1990, he met Ralph Natale, and the two allegedly conspired to take over the Philadelphia crime family from Stanfa.Merlino was released from prison in April 1992, after he was convicted in January 1990 of planning the heist and sentenced to three years in prison.In an attempt to quell further violence, Stanfa officially inducted Merlino and his best friend Michael Ciancaglini into the crime family.