Bufalino crime family
Encyclopedia
The Bufalino crime family, also known as the Pittston crime family, or the Scranton Wilkes-Barre family, was an American Mafia
crime family
active in Northeastern Pennsylvania
cities of Scranton
, Wilkes-Barre
and Pittston
. Today the Bufalino crime family is no longer active.
held a Mafia Commission meeting at his Apalachin home. The meeting was attended by about 100 Mafia heads from the U. S., Canada and Italy. A raid by New York State Police
caught many heads of families or their deputies. However, the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
dismissed many of the cases on legal technicalities.
took over the family. Bufalino was imprisoned in the late 1970s, his consigliere
, Edward Sciandra, became the acting boss. As boss Bufalino worked with the Genovese crime family
. After his release from prison he soon retired and died in 1994.
, became the new boss of the Bufalino crime family after the death of boss Russell Bufalino in 1994. D'Elia, started his criminal career in the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as Bufalino's driver. He took over the crime family's solid waste rackets. As boss D'Elia worked with other crime families in New York City, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. In the 1990s, D'Elia was linked to a money laundering scheme.
On May 31, 2001, agents from the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, US Postal Inspectors
, and Pennsylvania State Police
executed search warrants at the homes of D'Elia, his mistress, and three others, seizing records in an ongoing investigation. On February 26, 2003, D'Elia was banned from entering any Atlantic City, New Jersey
casinos by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, based on information shared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
and the Pennsylvania Crime Commission.
On May 31, 2006, D'Elia was indicted on federal charges of laundering $600,000 in illegal drug proceeds. In March 2008, D'Elia pleaded guilty to witness tampering and money laundering. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. D'Elia cooperated with the government and testified against Louis DeNaples
, the owner of Mount Airy Casino Resort
in the Poconos
. In 2010, D'Elia got two years dropped from his sentence for his assisting the government's investigation aganist DeNaples.
Other members
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
crime family
Crime family
A crime family is a term used to describe a unit of an organized crime syndicate, often operating within a specific geographic territory. The term is used almost exclusively to refer to units of the Mafia, both in Sicily and in the United States, although it is occasionally used to refer to other...
active in Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania is a geographic region of Pennsylvania that includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains and the industrial cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Hazleton and Carbondale....
cities of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
and Pittston
Pittston, Pennsylvania
Pittston is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. It gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. The population was...
. Today the Bufalino crime family is no longer active.
Barbara and the Apalachin meeting
In 1957, Joseph BarbaraJoseph Barbara (mobster)
Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara was a New York state mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family. Barbara is most notable for hosting the abortive Apalachin Conference in 1957...
held a Mafia Commission meeting at his Apalachin home. The meeting was attended by about 100 Mafia heads from the U. S., Canada and Italy. A raid by New York State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
caught many heads of families or their deputies. However, the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
dismissed many of the cases on legal technicalities.
The Bufalino era
After Barbara's death in 1959, Russell BufalinoRussell Bufalino
Russell A. Bufalino also known as "McGee" and "The Old Man" was the boss of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family from 1959 to 1989...
took over the family. Bufalino was imprisoned in the late 1970s, his consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
, Edward Sciandra, became the acting boss. As boss Bufalino worked with the Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
. After his release from prison he soon retired and died in 1994.
D'Elia's leadership
William "Big Billy" D'EliaWilliam D'Elia
William "Big Billy" D'Elia is a Pennsylvania mobster and former leader of the Bufalino crime family.-Background:D'Elia began working with the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as boss Russell Bufalino's driver. D'Elia's business background in solid waste brokering and other areas would later be...
, became the new boss of the Bufalino crime family after the death of boss Russell Bufalino in 1994. D'Elia, started his criminal career in the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as Bufalino's driver. He took over the crime family's solid waste rackets. As boss D'Elia worked with other crime families in New York City, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. In the 1990s, D'Elia was linked to a money laundering scheme.
On May 31, 2001, agents from the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, US Postal Inspectors
United States Postal Inspection Service
The United States Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. Its jurisdiction is defined as "crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S...
, and Pennsylvania State Police
Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
executed search warrants at the homes of D'Elia, his mistress, and three others, seizing records in an ongoing investigation. On February 26, 2003, D'Elia was banned from entering any Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
casinos by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, based on information shared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
and the Pennsylvania Crime Commission.
On May 31, 2006, D'Elia was indicted on federal charges of laundering $600,000 in illegal drug proceeds. In March 2008, D'Elia pleaded guilty to witness tampering and money laundering. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. D'Elia cooperated with the government and testified against Louis DeNaples
Louis DeNaples
Louis A. DeNaples is a Scranton, Pennsylvania businessman, best known as former owner of the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. In January, 2008, DeNaples was charged with four counts of perjury due to his suspected ties to the Bufalino crime family when applying for a...
, the owner of Mount Airy Casino Resort
Mount Airy Casino Resort
The Mount Airy Casino Resort is a casino and hotel located in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. The casino resort has 188 hotel rooms, a casino with 2,523 slot machines and table games, five restaurants, a spa and salon, a nightclub, and an 18-hole golf course.-History of the Location:Mount Airy...
in the Poconos
The Poconos
The Pocono Mountains is a region located in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The Poconos, located chiefly in Monroe and Pike counties , are an upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau...
. In 2010, D'Elia got two years dropped from his sentence for his assisting the government's investigation aganist DeNaples.
Historical leadership
Boss (official and acting)- 1900s–1908 — Stefano LaTorre — stepped down
- 1908–1933 — Santo Volpe — retired in 1933
- 1933–1940 — Giacomo "John" SciandraJohn SciandraJohn "Johnny" Sciandra also known as "Giovanni" was the notorious boss of the Bufalino crime family of Pennsylvania from 1933 until his death in 1940....
— murdered - 1940–1959 — Giuseppe "Joe the Barber" Barbara, Sr.Joseph Barbara (mobster)Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara was a New York state mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family. Barbara is most notable for hosting the abortive Apalachin Conference in 1957...
— had a heart attack in 1956 and died in 1959.- Acting 1956–1959 — Rosario Alberto "Russell" Bufalino — became boss
- 1959–1994 — Rosario Alberto "Russell" BufalinoRussell BufalinoRussell A. Bufalino also known as "McGee" and "The Old Man" was the boss of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family from 1959 to 1989...
— imprisoned from 1978–1989; retired, he died on February 25, 1994- Acting 1975-1989 — Edward Sciandra — imprisoned 1981-1982; he received help from Anthony Guarnieri and William D'Elia
- Acting 1990–1994 — William "Big Billy" D'Elia — became boss
- 1994–2008 — William "Big Billy" D'EliaWilliam D'EliaWilliam "Big Billy" D'Elia is a Pennsylvania mobster and former leader of the Bufalino crime family.-Background:D'Elia began working with the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as boss Russell Bufalino's driver. D'Elia's business background in solid waste brokering and other areas would later be...
— in 2006 he was indicted on money laundering, in 2008 he pleaded guilty and testified in front of a grand juryGrand juryA grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
for leniency.
Other members
- James Osticco — served as Underboss to Russell Bufalino
- Edward "Eddie the Conductor" Sciandra — served as consigliere to Russell Bufalino
- Angelo Polizzi — served as consigliere to Giacomo Sciandra
- Anthony F. Guarnieri — former caporegime
- Frank Cannone — former soldier, he ran a bookmaking operation in BinghamtonBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, New York - Anthony J. Musco — former soldier, he was active in Binghamton, New York
- Frank "The Irishman" SheeranFrank SheeranFrank "The Irishman" Sheeran was a former labor union official who was accused of having links to the Bufalino crime family. In his capacity as a high official in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Sheeran was a leading figure in the corruption of unions by organized crime...
— former associate