Gangsters who went down for a long time for minor crimes

[Dwalin2014]

It's interesting how in some cases, when the law enforcement didn't manage to put big gangsters away for serious crimes like murder, extortion, drug and weapon trafficking etc, they managed to convict them of minor crimes in such away that the sentences were the same as if the defendants had been convicted for something serious. I thought it could be interesting to discuss some examples. I remember these ones, feel free to add other examples for the list:

1) Al Capone (Chicago): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering etc, but convicted of tax evasion in 1931 and sentenced to 11 years.

2) John "Korney" Kwiatkowski (Buffalo): suspected of murder and robbery, but convicted of perjury during trial in 1930 and sentenced to 20 years.

3) Clyde and Eugene Smaldone (Denver): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering, bombings etc, but convicted of jury tampering in 1953 and sentenced to 60 years.

4) Mickey Cohen (Los Angeles): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering etc but convicted of tax evasion in 1961 and sentenced to 15 years.

5) Wilford Pulawa (Hawaii): suspected of murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion, but convicted of tax evasion in 1975 and sentenced to 24 years.

There is also Lucky Luciano's case when he got 30 years for pimping, but I don't know if it can be considered a minor crime since violence was used against the prostitutes by the gangsters and it was a large-scale operation, while I was talking about gangsters receiving extreme sentences for "minor" crimes.

[willychichi]

It's interesting how in some cases, when the law enforcement didn't manage to put big gangsters away for serious crimes like murder, extortion, drug and weapon trafficking etc, they managed to convict them of minor crimes in such away that the sentences were the same as if the defendants had been convicted for something serious. I thought it could be interesting to discuss some examples. I remember these ones, feel free to add other examples for the list:

1) Al Capone (Chicago): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering etc, but convicted of tax evasion in 1931 and sentenced to 11 years.

2) John "Korney" Kwiatkowski (Buffalo): suspected of murder and robbery, but convicted of perjury during trial in 1930 and sentenced to 20 years.

3) Clyde and Eugene Smaldone (Denver): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering, bombings etc, but convicted of jury tampering in 1953 and sentenced to 60 years.

4) Mickey Cohen (Los Angeles): suspected of murder, extortion, racketeering etc but convicted of tax evasion in 1961 and sentenced to 15 years.

5) Wilford Pulawa (Hawaii): suspected of murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion, but convicted of tax evasion in 1975 and sentenced to 24 years.

There is also Lucky Luciano's case when he got 30 years for pimping, but I don't know if it can be considered a minor crime since violence was used against the prostitutes by the gangsters and it was a large-scale operation, while I was talking about gangsters receiving extreme sentences for "minor" crimes.

I see what your saying about Luciano but way back then prostitution didn't get you 2 years let alone 30 years so I would include Luciano. I would say his case is similar to Capone's, feds couldn't get these two on anything else, no RICO back then.

[Dwalin2014]

I forgot another, one of the most obvious examples: in 1910 Giuseppe Morello (boss of bosses no less!) and Ignazio Lupo got 30 years for counterfeiting

[B.]

Not a made guy, but it's insane that George Martorano is going to die in prison for marijuana trafficking.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Benny Eggs, windows.

Dino Saracino.

[Geekgang666]

Was it true that Wilford Pulawa had two mob members from Las Vegas killed for trying to muscling in on illegal gambling rackets in Nevada? I have been reading that Pulawa who was the head of the Hawaii organization had killed two mob thugs then returned their chopped up bodies to the mainland in the back of a trunk with a note attached: "Delicious, send more."

[Dwalin2014]

Was it true that Wilford Pulawa had two mob members from Las Vegas killed for trying to muscling in on illegal gambling rackets in Nevada? I have been reading that Pulawa who was the head of the Hawaii organization had killed two mob thugs then returned their chopped up bodies to the mainland in the back of a trunk with a note attached: "Delicious, send more."

I read this too, in the book "Hell-bent" by Jason Ryan, but unfortunately the names aren't specified, couldn't find them elsewhere either. It just says "two mobsters from Las Vegas". Maybe they weren't Cosa Nostra, but "mobsters" in a wider sense of the word? Because, if Pulawa killed made members, imo he wouldn't have gotten off that easily, at the time they had big egos due to their power. If they were from the Chicago outfit, Accardo would be crazy with rage for the "disrespect". Other bosses would be too, but that dude took "disrespects" especially at heart, if he considered it personal (the ones who did the burglary of his house were "worked on" with real "passion", just shooting them in the heads wasn't enough for him).

Pulawa's sense of humor is....peculiar. But then, if he wanted them to think he found the 2 mobsters "delicious", he shouldn't have sent them back as complete bodies, even chopped to pieces, because then he is contradicting himself: if they were "delicious", he would have eaten them entirely

[Doobeez]

Was going to mention Dino, Sonny. Nice call.

Judge hears he was aomewhat bragging he could do his 20 years no problem, and gets hammered with 50 instead.

[mike68]

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/ ... nocen.html

Emilio Fusco, Genovese gangster out of Springfield MA, acquitted of two murders but still sentenced to 25 years under the 'relevant condut' statute.

[100100]

Not a made guy, but it's insane that George Martorano is going to die in prison for marijuana trafficking.

He got released a couple years ago.

[Eline2015]

Yonnie Llicavoli served 35 years for murder

[furiofromnaples]

Carmine Tramunti get 15 y because when was talking with drug dealer Luois Inglese nod the head and this was used as a sign that he financed a huge heroin traffick.

[Dwalin2014]

Yonnie Llicavoli served 35 years for murder

Carmine Tramunti get 15 y because when was talking with drug dealer Luois Inglese nod the head and this was used as a sign that he financed a huge heroin traffick.

Yes, but murder and drug trafficking aren't minor crimes, Licavoli was convicted for 4 murders and serving 35 years wasn't exactly illogical (it's strange he got convicted at all though, in the 1930s it was impossible to convict a boss of something serious), and about Tramunti, some people say he was framed, but it's a different situation: a frame-up for a serious crime is a different situation than getting sentenced for something "minor" the defendant really did but got a very long prison term, as if he was convicted for a serious crime.

[Eline2015]

Yonnie Llicavoli served 35 years for murder

Carmine Tramunti get 15 y because when was talking with drug dealer Luois Inglese nod the head and this was used as a sign that he financed a huge heroin traffick.

Yes, but murder and drug trafficking aren't minor crimes, Licavoli was convicted for 4 murders and serving 35 years wasn't exactly illogical (it's strange he got convicted at all though, in the 1930s it was impossible to convict a boss of something serious), and about Tramunti, some people say he was framed, but it's a different situation: a frame-up for a serious crime is a different situation than getting sentenced for something "minor" the defendant really did but got a very long prison term, as if he was convicted for a serious crime.

my fault, sorry

[Teddy Persico]

Benny Eggs, windows.

Benny Aloi got 16.5 years for extortion in the same case.