Like his uncle Clyde, Paulie had a gift for story-telling, was generally considered to be charming, and loved pranks. While testifying for Mazza during this trial, Clyde Smaldoneclearly agitated (and youre going to see that both Clyde and Checkers did not like photographers)snapped on a Denver Post photographer taking pictures outside the courtroom, snarling the following: The next time you shoot my picture, Im going to punch you in the nose.. It was later estimated by law enforcement that the Smaldone mobs annual revenue from gambling and loan-sharking during their heyday was around $1 million per year (~$7 to $12 million per year in todays money). Only through the efforts of the Treasury Department and the use of their agents was the investigation carried on to a successful conclusion. The autopsy revealed a bullet hole in the palm of the hand of the deceased and another in the left nostril with the bullet lodged in the brain. I knew a lot of them, but I cant remember their names. Ralph Carr. Joseph "Scotty" Spinuzzi, Boss of the Pueblo LCN family from around 1972 until his death in 1975, in a Denver mugshot from the early 1960s. In the mindset of all of this activity and success, Clyde had managed to steward the Tejon Bar and Cafe through rough times and by 1947 it was thriving. Additional arrests for bootlegging, reckless driving, more burglaries, impersonation of police officers, receiving stolen goods, hijacking, and brawling would follow. Well only charge you $2 a case [for gasoline and other expenses].. His body would be discovered in the backseat of his Cadillac in a lot behind the same Alpine Inn that LaGuardia had just left (six months earlier). Rep. Comer told Fox News on Sunday there are nine relatives involved in the 'family influence peddling scheme,' and added: 'But I believe, in the end, that number will be at least 12. So those things were all connected together, and so was the hit on Pauline for that matter. Miraculously, Pernee, who was blown out the passenger side door she was about to shut, received only cuts and bruises. But Checkers wasnt all intimidation; with a few drinks under his belt, those at the bar would hear him launch into an impromptu one-man opera performance. Canadian bonded whiskey would end up being such a success that the brothers would find themselves on the road for weeks at a time. Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone (left) poses with Clyde Smaldone (center). Clyde and Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone in court in 1953. Spinuzzi arose from the body of the deceased with a gun in his hand, put the gun in his belt and walked away. The bullet traveled in an upward direction from its entrance in the deceaseds hand to its final resting place in his brain.. In early 1952, and its just going to keep building from here, Vigil would keep up the pressure when two law enforcement officials (so this is indirectly hitting at the Smaldones) were indicted for lying about payoffs they received to ignore gambling in their respective counties. And a lot of the description I just provided makes Checkers seem like kind of a bad dude, but dont forget that he also had a big part in taking care of the local community, and there was even an infamous story of him saving a little girl (the wardens niece from when he did time in prison) and another child from being kidnapped as part of a planned a prison break by other inmates. Like a good-cop, bad-cop routine, Checkers was the Smaldone with the tough-guy reputation. I shouldnt have even tried to help him because hes a no good S.O.B.. At this point the decedent fell backward with his head back and his hand in front of his face. It had just 15 property crimes and 2 violent crimes over the course of year. They have denounced the 'findings,' and say the claims pushed by Comer and Oversight Republicans are merely allegations without any ties to true wrongdoing so far. According to documentation I found relating to the People vs. Spinuzzi in 1962, the circumstances of the shooting as communicated in court were as follows: The deceased was a musician employed at the Five Queens Club in Pueblo, Colorado. The sentences that ultimately would be handed out for the jury tampering and conspiracy, quite honestly in my very novice legal opinion, were quite simply nothing less than shocking. By the time it was all said and done, his criminal record would stretch over seven decades, and though hed be a suspect in several murders, he was never actually convicted of killing anyone. None of his friends dared call him that. WebThis article describes crime in the U.S. state of Colorado. 4. Spinuzzi was very close with Eugine Checkers Smaldone, and the two would reportedly attend various gambling events together (along with Charley Blanda) to make shylock loans to participants whod been on the losing end. He had been severely beaten, then shot four times in the right side of the body. Raffaele landed a job as a laborer with the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad making $30 per month, and when he became a foreman his salary increased to $40 per month which allowed him to replace the familys outhouse with an in-home toilet and bathtub, a relative luxury at the time for a large Italian family. Frank Blackie Mazza: Smaldone Family lieutenant and enforcer, Allen "A.D." Miller: Smaldone Family Member. Hed share the following about how that relationship got off the ground in an interview that was later recorded in the book that Ill be citing many times in this episode, Smaldone: The Untold Story of An American Crime Family: I went up to Chicago and got talking about getting the stuff up in Canada. Thats not to say that the two groups came into conflict. The 2021 costs will grow, as the violent crime rate is on pace to be the highest since 1994, a 10% annual increase. The Smaldones would continue to rack up arrests, and in 1932, they would be arrested several times though no serious charges stuck. On the afternoon of February 18, 1933, Roma would be found slumped dead in a chair in his front parlor of his home on 3404 Vallejo Street in North Denver by his wife, Nettie. If this kind of information came out in the past, writers would be getting Pulitzer prizes when Pulitzer prizes meant something. As mentioned, the Smaldones would be in and out of court, cited for contempt, but would skate free of any charges related to the Walkie Talkie homicide. Denver, CO 41 Denver, CO Memorial fund to assist family of woman killed by rock thrown into her vehicle; The brothers would receive a new trial. Using genetic genealogy and familial DNA, police in Colorado have solved the decades-old cases of the deaths of four females, saying the killer was a man who In January of 1943 (just three weeks after Clyde), Eugene Checkers Smaldone was paroled and immediately jumped in with his brother to help run and expand their gambling empire. After this final resolution of the case, the pair would do their second stints at USP Leavenworth. Chauncey, the handsomest of the brothers, had a favorite spot at Gaetanos at a table in the far back (Table 404 to the servers who work there today), where youd see him eating his now-famous Chauncey Burger a half-pound of ground chuck, melted mozzarella and roasted Italian peppers, served with a side of the house red sauce. He had the closest ties to the feared Mafia bosses to the south in Pueblo. It looks like, if there wasn't legitimate business dealing in any of these LLCs, it was influence peddling. Clyde Smaldone (bottom left), "Checkers" Smaldone (top left), Joe Veccharelli, and an unidentified man celebrate the end of Prohibition after the passing of the 21st Amendment. A daytime burglary of a student flat netted a thief a collection of Nike Air Jordan trainers but he wasnt expecting a last-minute buzzer beater. So in that way, the action in Colorado during the 20s parallels most other big cities at this time which were nearly universally experiencing their own strife as well. Chauncey, as his friends and family called him, was born on February 8, 1924, and was the youngest of the eleven children born to Raffaele and Mamie Smaldone. Joseph James Scotty Spinuzzi is the last of the Pueblo mobsters that Ill cover, and in my opinion the biggest gangster of the bunch in terms of his reputation. This is where they were at the top of the mountain so to speak. Trump, 76, seized on the claims from Rep. James Comer to attack his presidential rival by accusing the Biden family of corruption on a mass scale on the same day Joe Biden launched his re-election campaign.'What Congressmen James Comer and Jim Jordan have revealed about the "Biden Crime Family" would be Watergate times 10, if this news was revealed just 10 years ago,' he said in a post on his Truth Social platform. of Justice In April of 1970, Checkers Smaldone and Joe The Ram Salardino would be arrested and indicted by a grand jury and charged with assault to murder, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy. View gallery. Clarence was sentenced to 90 days while Clydes charges were dismissed. The relationship was based on friendships, and the Smaldones needed someone to handle the operations in Southern Colorado, so they turned to their trusted friends in Pueblo. If you consider the fact that in the 60s you had the Kennedy administration, you eventually had Joe Valachi, more visibility, the FBI beginning to take Cosa Nostra and the mobs more seriously, it was a good time to cut your losses and get out. Clyde Smaldone smokes a cigar while shielding his face from photographers in 1951. Our ongoing accessibility effort works towards being in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA criteria. [The Pueblo mobs] was always arguing and fighting amongst themselves about the business, and they werent capable of handling business, to tell you the truth. He would run the Pueblo family as Boss from 1933 until roughly 1953 when he would pass the mantle to Vincenzo Black Jim Coletti before going away to prison. 'Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12014459/Trump-calls-Bidens-crime-family-Watergate-times-10.html?ito=msngallery, Biden's son Hunter, 53, is being investigated by Republican-led committees over his business dealings, with inquiries into his tax affairs and purchase of a gun. The State of Colorado is committed to providing equitable access to our services to all Coloradans. The Smaldones were well known for giving back to the community. It was nepotism at its finest. Ultimately the trial would be dismissed after a verdict was unable to be reached, with a new trial being scheduled for September 1953. Whether thats the case or not, Pizzalatas time was numbered as well. These two young lads were nearly inseparable, with the Villano family living just a few houses down the street from the Smaldone family. First, a woman who knew Checkers told police she saw men tampering with the car just before the explosion, and then there was a patrolman whod told investigators that hed observed Clyde making a call from a neighborhood phone booth just minutes before the bomb went off. Clyde and Mildred Smaldone (left) pose for a photo in 1973. Aside from the charges, the bigger issue for the Smaldones was that the younger Smaldone was arrested with a local hood and mob novice named Robin Roberts, who was known in the street as Walkie Talkie for his habit of being a compulsive talker, loud-mouth, and a person who generally liked to horn in on peoples conversations. However, the biggest prize was gas stamps, and the Smaldones were able to get and sell plenty of those. Foster Symes (pronounced Simms) would say the following: My only regret in this case is that the owners of the still didnt kill you all off. The reference to the still was in relation to a recent gunfight in Florissant in which hijackers, reputed to have been Clyde, Checkers, Charley Blanda, and a few others, were fired upon while stealing a large quantity of alcohol from a rival gang. When Barnes hit the starter, a massive black-powder explosion demolished the sedan. They werent afraid to push a button on anyone who got out of line. On January 29, 1974, just six months after LaGaurdia was hit, Pizzalato was found murdered as well. Its easier to take them down from a law enforcement perspective when theyre divided. WebThe most accurate, comprehensive, neighborhood-specific crime, demographic, housing, school performance, and real estate trend and forecast analytics available today, with Despite the dangers, Clydeever the ambitious and calculating businessmansoon found that the possibilities to make money in selling hooch were incredible and made the decision to start his own business, at first partnering with local hood Roxy Stone. You could find family patriarch Clyde Smaldone Gaetano is the Italian equivalent of Clyde seated at the bar, always at his spot furthest from the door. The family would set up shop in Buffalo, New York, but by 1889 after five years living in Buffalo, decided to make a change and moved the family across the country to the wide open spaces and mile-high air of Denver, Colorado. And you will see if you look up for example Colorado mob and you get to Wikipedia, youre going to see lists of Boss, Underboss in certain years, and youre going to see the Smaldones and the Pueblo organization merged together when in fact they werent one organization. There were also other Italian groups including the emergence of Giuseppe Joe Roma beginning in the mid-20s, as well as Irish contingents butting heads and shooting it out as well. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) participated in the Columbine High School Day of Service on April 20, 2023. Were also going to touch on their connection to the Mafia in Pueblo, Colorado, and discuss some of the players in that family as well. 'Our fake news media is corrupt at a level like never seen before. Statistics. The body of Giuseppe "Joe" Roma, Denver gang leader. Eventually theyd become so busy that theyd bring their younger brother Anthony in on the business as well. Federal agents said the heavy sentences levied against the brothers brought to an end a gambling empire which at one time grossed millions of dollars in slot machines, racetrack betting and other illegal operations.. As a class 2 misdemeanor, resisting arrest carries up to 120 days of county jail time and/or up to $750. Drinking turned to fist-fighting amongst each other. Additionally, the issue of the Smaldones relationships with local politicians and police, especially in Central City were called into question. The Kianis hosted a fundraiser for Biden at their Irvine, California home in January 2020, bundled more than $1 million for Biden and gave another $1 million to his inaugural committee. Alferd Packer: Murderer and Cannibal. In reality, the truth is probably somewhere in between as Im sure they had a hand in some unsavory things over the years, but as youll see later on, there was clearly a bias against them from a law enforcement perspective. Well, they knew we didnt do it, but somebody shot him. This was of course was not good at all. Ten out of 11 of them have nothing but great things to say about the family, he said. Anyhow, coming up next, were going to be digging into maybe a biography, and then as promised previously I am going back into a family history to cover the little-known Cerrito family out of California. Murder is up 47 percent in those Though the Smaldones were allowed to essentially run Denver and had huge sway across the entire state, the real official Mafia was down in Pueblo. From what I can tell, the lines here were very much blurred and the Smaldones certainly did hold true to some core values such as keeping their mouths shut (which they did almost until the end of their lives), as well as operating in a lot of the same rackets as traditional Cosa Nostra families, and even using the same tacticsup to and including being allegedly involved in several murders throughout their time running the Denver underworld. No pun intended, but this bust would give authorities all the ammo that they would need to convict Checkers Smaldone, Chauncey Smaldone, as well as Paulie Villano on charges of loan-sharking, income-tax evasion, as well as firearms violations. Clyde Smaldone enters federal court after being charged with jury tampering in 1953. He was present during the famous 1957 Apalachin mob summit. This really only left Chauncey and Paulie, but by this point Chauncey was dealing with severe dementia, though he continued to frequent Gaetanos even after the family had given up ownership of the restaurant. Pictured: Joe and Hunter Biden stand with the president's sister Valerie Biden Owens in Ireland on April 14.Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12014459/Trump-calls-Bidens-crime-family-Watergate-times-10.html?ito=msngallery, Kiani (pictured right) had already demonstrated his rich generosity toward the Biden family, donating $500,000 personally and another $1 million through his company to the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children. Standing are Eugene Smaldone (far left) and Clyde Smaldone (center. In November of 1965, Checkers Smaldone and his son Eugene would be arrested after a raid found evidence that over $100,000 worth of bets on college football had been placed with them in the previous week. Comer (pictured) claims the DOJ is in a 'pickle' over 'what do you do with this many family members of the president? This is kind of the peak. On June 2, 1953, Checkers went on trial for failure to pay $5,000 in income taxes in 1946. Moving forward, Colorado Crime Stats will be available with a one-month lag before becoming accessible to the public. On January 7, 1998, the original leader and family patriarch Clyde Smaldone, the man who had his first brush with the law in 1920, whod become friends with presidents and mobsters, and whod spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers as well as charitable endeavors, passed away at the age of 91. But as an Italian family, it was only natural to rely on your sons, and the money to be made was significant even with the obvious risks involved. He is also buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Jefferson County. The Alpine Inn in Denver, once owned by John "Skip" LaGaurdia, who was allegedly murdered by the Smaldone organization. After all, at ages 39 and 35, it was probably too late to choose another career. By this point, they simply wanted to be left alone. Denver organized crime ring "The Family" stole vehicles and From their bar on Tejon Street, the brothers would sell everything from black market liquor to simple daily items like canned goods, sugar, butter, meat, shoes, clothes, etc. The issue was with Chaunceys ex-wife Pauline. You could find family Hed been missing for three months. WebCrime news from 9 News KUSA in Denver, Colorado. Thank you! Clyde Smaldone was the oldest brother and veritable leader of the Smaldone organization. One such example was later recounted to authorities by a confidential informant: On July 21, 1951, Confidential Informant Denver T-3 reported that for many years Clyde and Eugene Smaldone, former Denver bootleggers, had been recognized as the mobsters who dominated racketeering activities in the Denver area. In October of 1953, the Smaldone brothers would surprise everyone (including their co-defendants) by making what would prove the be a fateful decision to plead out to two charges of conspiracy after pleading not guilty earlier in the month. At the time, Smiling Charlie Stephens was running a popular restaurant and casino with a local gambler named Leo Barnes. Judge Denounces U.S. Attorney General and FBI for Laxity in Investigation of Jury Tampering. The stabbing occurred around 8:40 p.m. on January 8, 2020. Because everything at that time was rationed and difficult to come by, you could make a killing on the black market, and many mobsters did. In the Summer months of 1947 through 1949, he and his brothers would open and run the Monte Carlo casino which offered craps, roulette, and slot machines among other games to local tourists eager to spend a buck. Clyde Smaldone (left) and Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone sitting in courtroom during trial in 1953. Now as I mentioned above, after his semi-retirement Clydes drinking would become pretty problematic so much so that his sons would put him in alcohol rehabilitation on several occasions throughout the rest of his life until he was finally able to kick the habit (which wouldnt happen until much later in his life). as other LCN families. He denied on a 2018 gun application that he used drugs, which was untrue: lying on the paperwork is an offense. However, when it went to trial, the evidence against Shanks was pretty shaky and he was ultimately acquitted in 1964. And according to autopsy reports (this is where it gets truly heinous), Cohen was alive (though he may not have been conscious) when he was put into the lake. ABC11 Neighborhood Safety and Crime Tracker If anyone has information about this incident, they are encouraged to contact the Clinton Police Department at 910-592-3105. Though again Id point out that the Smaldones were never convicted of any murders, but this wouldnt be the last time their names would be in the discussion after a gangland murder took place. Web353,528 total crimes reported in Colorado in 2020, reflecting a 3.9% increase from last year. Kreck, Dick. You could find family Occasionally, Chauncey would work the bar at Gaetanos, and his nephew Paulie would eventually find his forte, running the restaurant for the family. No matter how you spin it, they made their money by breaking the law first bootlegging, then running gambling rackets and loansharking. Clyde Smaldone and his brothers gave thousands of dollars to the local Catholic churches over the years, and paid a handsome sum for the priviledge of carrying the statue of St. Rocco through the streets of Denver each year. The state would enact Prohibition and go dry in 1916, a full three years ahead of the Volstead Act which was enacted nationally in 1919. The dominant players were the Carlino brothers, but they had many rivals and went to war with their own kin in the Danna family for almost the entire decade. And though he wouldnt do any time as a result, the Apalachin arrest would be the one to raise his profile so much so that in a Life Magazine article in 1967 he was named as the boss of Colorado. As you might expect with a man of his temperament, he would have a long history of problems with law enforcement, being charged for bootlegging, extortion in Las Vegas, burglary, theft, counterfeiting, income tax evasion, as well as numerous counts of gambling and bookmaking. Depending on who you talk to, they were either modern-day Robin Hoods or shoot-em-up Mafiosi straight out of a gangster flick. Seeing as though I am really in touch with the times, I recently discovered the HBO hit The Sopranos and have been watching an episode or two every night after my husband and sons fall asleep. The other six, seven guys that tried to help himsome of them had to hock their house, some of them lost business, lost their jobs, and to this day hes never given one of them guys a quarter. Most of them couldnt hardly talk English.. The judge in the case, Judge J. They would scout their rivals to find out where they kept their liquor, and when the opportunity was right theyd swoop in. Spinuzzi was born in 1907 in Napoleonville, Assumption Parish, Louisiana. A lot of times I got to thinking, because I wasnt guilty of really, really being involvedwith my brother [Checkers]. Clyde Smaldone and his defense attorney shake hands with jurors in courtroom celebration which followed the acquittal verdict in 1953. Of course hindsight is 20:20, but I bet he really wished hed just paid his tax given all the trouble it caused. In pronouncing sentences Judge Ritter charged that the U.S. attorney general and Federal Bureau of Investigation had refused to assist in the jury tampering investigation which smashed the Smaldone gang. Hinsdale County Courtroom where Alferd Packer was tried in The Smaldone brothers began their ascension to relative power after the murder of Joe Roma in 1933, but it wouldnt be immediate. Louis F. Smaldone (left), second cousin the the Smaldone brothers, who was arrested as part of their jury tampering case in 1953. There has never been anything like it. His runners would be none other than his sons, Clyde and Checkers. Clyde by that point was entering his teens and Eugene Checkers Smaldone was not far behind during the early days of Prohibition. Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone (left) and Paul "Fat Paulie" Villano (right) surrender to start jail terms in 1968. list may not reflect recent changes. In reality, they were neither. Following his arrest, Turcios was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault. An elderly Clyde and Mildred Smaldone pose with their sons Gene (top left) and Chuck (top right). But Walkie Talkie had another problem (and even bigger problem). He first came to national prominence when mentioned as a mob figure in the Kefauver Hearings in the early 1950s.
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