1988 CPD Outfit Drug Case?

[PolackTony]

The following appears in a 1997 Chicago Crime Commission report report titled "Traditional organized crime in Chicago":

1988, the Chicago Police Department Intelligence Section obtained its first nonconsensual telephonic overhear commonly known as a 'wiretap'. This major investigation, code named 'Operation Colossus', resulted in the arrest of twenty-one organized crime figures and associates for calculated criminal drug conspiracy. This case was very significant in its use of electronic interceptions, including thirty consensual overhears as well as uncovering links between traditional mob elements in Chicago and newly arrived immigrants from Sicily and mainland Italy.

http://www.ipsn.org/characters/coia/mag ... hicago.htm

I haven't been able to find anything referring to a CPD "Operation Colossus" or a big Oufit related drug case around 1988. Anyone have any info on this? Any idea if the Sicilians referenced here were connected to Pete LaBalestra? FWIW I've heard from contacts of mine in Chicago that "zips" have been operating in construction and narcotics in the West and Northwest burbs (Addison etc), though I've never been able to substantiate these claims.

[PolackTony]

From a Daily Herald article on Floods website:

Vito Salamone is "close" to Frank Rappa and Marco D'Amico, the report charged. D'Amico is a bookmaker, the report said, and Rappa, it said, was affiliated with the mob both here and in Sicily and dealt cocaine. He left the Chicago area in 1967 but returned in 1984. At the same time he returned, the report noted, there was a marked increase in Sicilian cocaine dealers in Elmwood Park, Addison and Itasca. In 1971, Rappa was arrested at Kennedy Airport in New York with 80 kilograms of heroin, the report noted.

[Villain]

In 1988, the feds arrested around 13 members of the Autullo crew on narcotics charges, including a Senator’s son...but i dont think that we are talking about the same case

[PolackTony]

In 1988, the feds arrested around 13 members of the Autullo crew on narcotics charges, including a Senator’s son...but i dont think that we are talking about the same case

Yeah, doesn’t seem like it’s the same case.

If IIRC correctly, Villain your take on the Autullo ring was that Autullo himself was independent but likely bankrolled by the Heights crew?

[PolackTony]

In the thread “John Gotti In Illinois, @Cavita made this statement:

The FBI files I have continually mention Rockford as a "Sicilian faction" of the Mafia and one page I have mysteriously mentions one in Chicago. Until I get more FBI files that mention how their narcotics network functioned, I'm left confused as to where they were ultimately getting direction from- Chicago? Or Sicily and New York with Chicago's approval?

Maybe the feds were referring to Sicilians connected to this mysterious "Operation Colossus"?

[PolackTony]

@Villain
I think in 1989 was also when the case came down on the Vic Plescia/ Frank Bonavolante drug operation as well, who I understand were working under Tony Zizzo? '88/'89 seem to have been busy years for Outfit associated drug operations.

[Villain]

In 1988, the feds arrested around 13 members of the Autullo crew on narcotics charges, including a Senator’s son...but i dont think that we are talking about the same case

Yeah, doesn’t seem like it’s the same case.

If IIRC correctly, Villain your take on the Autullo ring was that Autullo himself was independent but likely bankrolled by the Heights crew?

Yeah, he was on their territory and some of his fellas were connected to Tocco.

[Villain]

@Villain
I think in 1989 was also when the case came down on the Vic Plescia/ Frank Bonavolante drug operation as well, who I understand were working under Tony Zizzo? '88/'89 seem to have been busy years for Outfit associated drug operations.

Thats right.

I want to add that the Indiana crew was under the auspices of the Chicago Heights faction and they were involved in narcotics since Pinelli took over or since the early 50s. During those days Emery headed the Heights mob and this guy was heavily involved in the dope trade and his connections possibly were deported members such as his first boss Dom Roberto, followed by Lucky Luciano and members of the Detriot family

[Snakes]

I've seen some internal FBI lists concerning prioritized investigations that I found interesting enough to share here. This would be from around 1987/88. It's fun to see which ones eventually led to a conviction and which ones died on the vine.

The "Score Case." [This one escapes me at the moment. I know "Scores" is a MP strip club but this is "Score," singular. I'm also probably thinking of the big Scores strip club extortion case involving Junior Gotti. Maybe something will come to me later]

Spilotro murders [Later solved in Family Secrets]

John Fecarotta murder [Also solved in Family Secrets]

Vincent Solano and resulting Title 3's [Title 3, or T-3, is code for electronic surveillance. Solano was never charged with a crime and died in 1992. Title 3's often result in separate investigations as other crimes or conspiracies are uncovered separate from the original target of the bug.]

Pat Marcy [Later indicted on public corruption charges; died before trial]

Joseph Ferriola and resulting Title 3's [This was eventually brought to trial and resulted in the conviction of most of the Ferriola Street Crew, although Ferriola died before any charges came down.]

A case involving "Touch of Italy" [Was this the restaurant Dominic Palermo frequented?]

Sam Carlisi [Eventually convicted and died in prison]

Operation "Safebet" [Eventually resulted in a trial and conviction of several Outfit associates, most notably Victor Spilotro, on charges of public corruption, bribery, prostitution, extortion, and credit card fraud]

Angelo LaPietra/26th Street Crew [Eventually resulted in the conviction of Joseph LaMantia; the Frank Calabrese investigation was separate from this one, I believe]

Anthony Centracchio [Interesting in that it alleged potential bribery of public officials to effect an early release for Joseph Lombardo. Lots of redaction here but it also mentioned Centracchio or his crew as possibly being involved in drugs although no details were given. Centracchio was eventually indicted many years later (with no mention of the bribery or drugs) but died before he reached trial. Centracchio was mentioned here as Lombardo's successor as the head of the Grand Avenue crew.]

Gerald Scarpelli [Scarpelli was arrested and agreed to cooperate but later recanted and hung himself in his cell. Scarpelli was suspected by the FBI of being involved in several Outfit-sanctioned murders.]

There were 4 or 5 redacted names. One of them is probably James Marcello as Carlisi was mentioned in the accompanying description. He was indicted and convicted along with Carlisi and several others.

[Villain]

Good stuff Snakes and thanks. I believe Centrachhios younger brother Henry was heavily involved in the narcotics trade through one of his old friends known as Thomas Guth and they developed Colombian connections such as Robert Valido and Jorge Silva

[PolackTony]

Good stuff Snakes and thanks. I believe Centrachhios younger brother Henry was heavily involved in the narcotics trade through one of his old friends known as Thomas Guth and they developed Colombian connections such as Robert Valido and Jorge Silva

Yes that was the 1989 case where Henry Centracchio, Thomas Guth, James Aquilla, and José Martínez got popped for conspiracy to "distribute thousands of pounds of cocaine" from FL to Chicago. It was reputed that Aquilla was in charge if this operation. Villain, Aquilla was connected to Grand Ave and Elmwood, correct? I recall it being alleged that D'Amico had some connection to this drug ring and that Aquilla was also connected to Joey Bravieri.

[PolackTony]

And so we have several late 80s Outfit related drug cases, and still nothing on this mysterious "Operation Colossus" involving Outfit connected zips.

[PolackTony]

@Villain, in articles discussing the car bomb killing of Joe Testa in FL, Jimmy Aquilla was identified as Testa's nephew. What were Testa's links to the Outfit? EP, Grand?

[Villain]

@Villain, in articles discussing the car bomb killing of Joe Testa in FL, Jimmy Aquilla was identified as Testa's nephew. What were Testa's links to the Outfit? EP, Grand?

Yes, Aquilla was allegedly connected to EP/Grand but to tell you the truth, im hearing about this Testa connection for the first time...i also dont much about Testa so maybe someone else can add something to it

[Snakes]

@Villain, in articles discussing the car bomb killing of Joe Testa in FL, Jimmy Aquilla was identified as Testa's nephew. What were Testa's links to the Outfit? EP, Grand?

Yes, Aquilla was allegedly connected to EP/Grand but to tell you the truth, im hearing about this Testa connection for the first time...i also dont much about Testa so maybe someone else can add something to it

Testa was a semi-legit guy who was partners with Phil Alderisio on some business ventures. After Alderisio died, Marshall Caifano tried to extort some money from Testa that he felt belonged to the Outfit. Testa managed to avoid paying for several years; he had a lot of connections (Bill Hanhardt and others) and even obtained a sit-down with Tony Accardo (Testa's father had known Accardo) that bought him some more time. Eventually, Testa was killed by a car bomb in 1981. Caifano was either in prison or on his way but he was more than likely responsible for it.