Salvatore Avellino
Encyclopedia
Salvatore "Sal" Avellino (born November 19, 1935 St. James, New York
) is a mobster and caporegime
in the Lucchese crime family
who was involved in labor racketering in the garbage and waste management
industry in Long Island
, New York. Avellino also served as right-hand man and chauffeur
to boss Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo
.
, garbage hauling business, to gather evidence on Avellino. Since the 1970's, Kubecka had refused to participate the mob control of the waste hauling business and had suffered extensive harrassment as a result. In 1982, Kubecka, agreed to wear a surveillance device during meetings with the mobsters. Although Kubecka was unable to get close to Avellino himself, the information Kubecka gathered eventually persuaded a judge to allow a wire tap on Avellino's home phone in Nissequogue, New York. The home phone tap was also disappointing to the agents; however, it did reveal that Avellino was driving boss Anthony Corallo around all day in Avellino's car.
In 1983, federal agents installed an electronic surveillance device inside the dashboard on Avellino's Jaguar
while he and his wife were at a dinner dance. Agents then listened to many conversations between Corallo, Avellino, and other mobsters as they drove around the city. Avellino was very curious and was constantly asking questions about the operation of the family and the Mafia Commission. From these recorded conversations, federal agents learned the Commission's internal structure, history, and relations with other crime families. These conversations provided prosecutors with invaluable evidence against Corallo and other family bosses in the 1986 Mafia Commission trial.
In 1985, Avellino was promoted to capo.
(LIUNA) Local 66 in Long Island. His younger brother Carmine Avellino and his son Michael Avellino followed him into the waste management
rackets. For nearly 15 years, Avellino used aggressive strong-arm tactics to keep Long Island's waste hauling industry under Lucchese family control. Avellino's wife Elaine was the owner, along with other relatives of the SSC Corporation in Holtsville, New York
, one of the largest waste haulers in the region. In 1983, Avellino ordered his son Michael and son-in-law Michael Malena to set fire to competitors' garbage trucks.
During one recorded phone call, Avellino explained the Lucchese plans for the waste hauling industry on Long Island to an associate:
.
In mid 1986, Avellino asked Lucchese underboss Anthony Casso
permission to murder Kubecka. Avellino was afraid that Kubecka was going to provide evidence in new criminal and civil cases. Casso agree to the killing. On August 11, 1989, Lucchese gunmen Rocco Vitulli and Frank Frederico burst into Kubecka's office, where he and his brother-in-law, Donald Barstow, were working. Both Kubecka and Barstow were shot to death.
On July 16, 1999, Avelino was indicted again in federal courts on 15 counts of racketeering in the waste hauling industry from 1983 to 1998. In March 2001, Avellino pleaded guilty to using threats of violence to run his Long Island waste hauling business from federal prison. As part of a plea deal, Avellino was to serve five more years in prison after the end of his racketeering sentence. On October 13, 2006, Avellino was released from federal prison.
St. James, New York
St. James is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 13,268 at the 2000 census. St. James is part of the Town of Smithtown, New York, located on the North Shore of Long Island. The zip code is 11780....
) is a mobster and caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
in the Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese 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 family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
who was involved in labor racketering in the garbage and waste management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
industry in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York. Avellino also served as right-hand man and chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
to boss Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo
Anthony Corallo
Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
.
Lucchese family capo
Over the years, Avellino and his relatives established a stranglehold on the waste hauling business on Long Island. To gather evidence against Avellino, federal agents used undercover informant Robert Kubecka, the owner of a Suffolk County, New YorkSuffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, garbage hauling business, to gather evidence on Avellino. Since the 1970's, Kubecka had refused to participate the mob control of the waste hauling business and had suffered extensive harrassment as a result. In 1982, Kubecka, agreed to wear a surveillance device during meetings with the mobsters. Although Kubecka was unable to get close to Avellino himself, the information Kubecka gathered eventually persuaded a judge to allow a wire tap on Avellino's home phone in Nissequogue, New York. The home phone tap was also disappointing to the agents; however, it did reveal that Avellino was driving boss Anthony Corallo around all day in Avellino's car.
In 1983, federal agents installed an electronic surveillance device inside the dashboard on Avellino's Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
while he and his wife were at a dinner dance. Agents then listened to many conversations between Corallo, Avellino, and other mobsters as they drove around the city. Avellino was very curious and was constantly asking questions about the operation of the family and the Mafia Commission. From these recorded conversations, federal agents learned the Commission's internal structure, history, and relations with other crime families. These conversations provided prosecutors with invaluable evidence against Corallo and other family bosses in the 1986 Mafia Commission trial.
In 1985, Avellino was promoted to capo.
Waste Hauling Industry
Salvatore Avellino oversaw operations of Laborers' International Union of North AmericaLaborers' International Union of North America
The Laborers' International Union of North America is an American and Canadian labor union formed in 1903. As of March 31, 2010, they have about 632,000 members, members, about 80,000 of which are in Canada.The current general president is Terence M...
(LIUNA) Local 66 in Long Island. His younger brother Carmine Avellino and his son Michael Avellino followed him into the waste management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
rackets. For nearly 15 years, Avellino used aggressive strong-arm tactics to keep Long Island's waste hauling industry under Lucchese family control. Avellino's wife Elaine was the owner, along with other relatives of the SSC Corporation in Holtsville, New York
Holtsville, New York
Holtsville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 17,006 at the 2000 census....
, one of the largest waste haulers in the region. In 1983, Avellino ordered his son Michael and son-in-law Michael Malena to set fire to competitors' garbage trucks.
During one recorded phone call, Avellino explained the Lucchese plans for the waste hauling industry on Long Island to an associate:
"We're gonna knock everybody out, absorb everybody, eat them up, or whoever we, whoever stays in there is only who we allowing to stay in there."
Kubecka and Barstow murders
In 1986, facing evidence from the car recordings, Avellino pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges of using coercion to prevent Kubecka from bidding on waste hauling contracts on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
In mid 1986, Avellino asked Lucchese underboss Anthony Casso
Anthony Casso
Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso is a former New York City mobster who served as underboss and acting boss of the Lucchese crime family until he was arrested in 1993, becoming a cooperating witness for the Federal Government...
permission to murder Kubecka. Avellino was afraid that Kubecka was going to provide evidence in new criminal and civil cases. Casso agree to the killing. On August 11, 1989, Lucchese gunmen Rocco Vitulli and Frank Frederico burst into Kubecka's office, where he and his brother-in-law, Donald Barstow, were working. Both Kubecka and Barstow were shot to death.
Prison
On April 13, 1993, Avellino was indicted in federal court on racketeering charges involving the 1989 Kubecka and Barstow murders. Avellino pleaded not guilty to both charges. However, in February 1994 Avellino pleaded guilty to helping plan the two murders and was sentenced to ten years in federal prison.On July 16, 1999, Avelino was indicted again in federal courts on 15 counts of racketeering in the waste hauling industry from 1983 to 1998. In March 2001, Avellino pleaded guilty to using threats of violence to run his Long Island waste hauling business from federal prison. As part of a plea deal, Avellino was to serve five more years in prison after the end of his racketeering sentence. On October 13, 2006, Avellino was released from federal prison.
Further reading
- Fox, Stephen. Blood and Power: Organized Crime in Twentieth-Century America. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1989. ISBN 0-688-04350-X
- Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8
- Jacobs, James B. and Friel, Colleen. Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated From the Grip of Organized Crime. New York: NYU Press ISBN 0814742475
- Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 0-06-016357-7
External links
- Murder and the mob by Steve Wick
- http://www.nj.gov/oag/ge/exclusion/jravellino_salvatore.htm