Hootie Russo

[Shellackhead]

Here it is, found it on google images.. and hootie is not in the photo...

That’s the Al Trucchio/Ozone Park Crew?

[Browniety86]

Was Al getting straightened out at 24 moreso to do with the Gotti's running the show at the time and the immense respect they had for his dad Ronnie or did the kid show something that early on to get his button?

[queensnyer]

Was Al getting straightened out at 24 moreso to do with the Gotti's running the show at the time and the immense respect they had for his dad Ronnie or did the kid show something that early on to get his button?

The kid was groomed from day 1 to be Cosa nostra...im sure it came earlier than others with Gotti's still in power but he was well respected by everyone....even now although he had his beef with guys bigger. Very petty on the part of the family to shelf a earner and respected guy with the ranks being so watered down as is.

[queensnyer]

That pic is missing a few guys...hootie was def around that crew...not even a question but when and how it came to an end...I dont know.. possible he was locked up at the time as well

[Browniety86]

That pic is missing a few guys...hootie was def around that crew...not even a question but when and how it came to an end...I dont know.. possible he was locked up at the time as well

He says in the Vlad interview "Al turned on me in prison"...agree about Trucchio, shelving him is a petty move...the man stood up and did his time, which should be worth so much these days with guys flipping over a DUI...

[Bklyn21]

Hootie hung out at 88th Street park in the 90s and sold drugs, I dunno what he's talking about, Everyone he was around was connected and associated with the mob in some form or fashion , He used to hang out by the xlub/arcade at the park and all those guys there were running gambling ,Fireworks,Loans and whatever else outta that club, He didn't know Ronnie had a son ?? Al in the late 90s and early 2000s had an army in that neighborhood and was into everything right up until he was made, I don't understand any of the stuff hootie says either

[GaspipeCasso]

It's hard to take what he says has truth as he's all over the place.

[queensnyer]

Hootie hung out at 88th Street park in the 90s and sold drugs, I dunno what he's talking about, Everyone he was around was connected and associated with the mob in some form or fashion , He used to hang out by the xlub/arcade at the park and all those guys there were running gambling ,Fireworks,Loans and whatever else outta that club, He didn't know Ronnie had a son ?? Al in the late 90s and early 2000s had an army in that neighborhood and was into everything right up until he was made, I don't understand any of the stuff hootie says either

I think guys live in their own heads...exaggerate their life and start believing their own lies..eventually it's all a blur...he was around that whole time. Al was up and about.

[Amershire_Ed]

That pic is missing a few guys...hootie was def around that crew...not even a question but when and how it came to an end...I dont know.. possible he was locked up at the time as well

He was locked up from like 05-07ish, and he says when he got back out he wasn’t around them much anymore (and that he was told not to come around). He mentioned going to a Christmas party—that Santos was at—but Hootie showed up wearing a leather jacket and jeans when everyone else was suited up. He was told that he wasn’t dressed right for the occasion.

I dunno, maybe I’m in the minority but I don’t think Hootie is intentionally lying about a bunch of stuff. It’s clear as day he was super active in the streets and around this crew a lot. I’ll admit the whole—“I thought Al was Ronnie’s nephew and his nephew was his son” thing is kinda weird. But the other stuff people are taking issue with seem like stuff he just got bad info on, and not necessarily that he’s lying to create some narrative. I do think he probably wasn’t as close to being made as he says, and the whole drugs thing is just an excuse. But is that really that big of a deal? An associate exaggerating a reason for not getting straightened out? I mean that’s a lot less egregious to me than Bobby Luisi saying he was about to break off and start his own freaking family.

But as I said before, I think Hootie *is* leaving out details of his own drug use. I think he was probably using prescription drugs at the time, and that coulda been the genesis of his falling out with Al.

[queensnyer]

Agree 100... he was around them...they were boys. Neighborhood guys....it was what it was.. I wouldn't be surprised to hear he's a pill head.. I was around him a few times. But years ago. He never came off as a mob guy even though he was closer than half the wannabees walking around howard beach/oz.pk. I dont think he would get made. He was al and rocs boy but I doubt he was around corrozo or the gurinos or anyone in the Gambino family. Other than the guys his age in that crew.

[Browniety86]

I know Roccaforte is made but is Todd LaBarca?

[Amershire_Ed]

How did Roc pass? And how old was he?

[GaspipeCasso]

I would like to hear more about the 3 times Hootie's name was "passed around" and by whom and why they said no.

[Browniety86]

Supposedly he saw "John Alite's bodies in the street" as a kid....the whole Vlad interview is egregious in my opinion...

[queensnyer]

Labarca want made at the time of sentencing....whether he's made now or when he finishes his 19. Could be..he did put work in and stood up