Steven Crea
Encyclopedia
Steven L. Crea also known as "Wonderboy", or "Herbie", is a New York mobster heavily involved in labor racketeering who eventually became the acting boss of the Lucchese crime family
.
, Piedmont
. He earned his nickname "Wonderboy
" after the fictional Quality Comics
superhero
. Crea was inducted into the Lucchese family sometime in the 1980s, probably under the reign of boss Anthony Corallo
. By 1990, family boss Victor Amuso
appointed Crea capo, taking over "Sammy Bones" Castaldi crew in the Bronx
. Crea specialized in labor rackets, such as gaining power over Carpenter's Local 608 and using it to extort New York City contractors. Crea held a no-show job at Inner City Drywall, one of the city's largest drywall
contractors and was on the Cement and Concrete Workers Union involved with Local 282.
In 1993, with Amuso and Anthony Casso
's support, Crea became Underboss
of the Lucchese Family
. Using his new clout, Crea shifted the family's power center away from the Brooklyn crews and back to the Manhattan
and Bronx crews who had historically controlled the family for decades. In the early 1990s, several Amuso/Casso loyalists, including George Zappola
and Frank "Spaghetti Man" Gioia, Jr. hatched a plot to kill Crea, and take over the family. They planned to lure Crea to a sitdown and then murder him. However, the plot fell through after Zapolla, Gioia, and the rest of Amuso/Casso regime were indicted and imprisoned.
(IRS). During its existence, the Construction Group controlled over $40 million dollars in construction contracts, increasing overall construction costs by 5%.
In 1998, after acting Lucchese boss Joseph DeFede
was indicted on labor racketeering and extortion charges, Crea became the family's new acting boss.
, and bid-rigging charges. The District Attorney
charged that these schemes had systematically siphoned off millions of dollars from both public and private construction projects. Specifically, Crea used mob associates to extort building contractors who wished to receive rights to no-bid jobs or who wanted to reduce the number of union members on their payrolls. Truscello, Tangorra, and other family members went to prison. Tangorra suffered a nervous breakdown and eventually took a 16-year prison sentence deal. In 2006, Crea pleaded guilty to lesser state charges and was sentenced to prison for two to six years.
, Matthew Madonna
, and Joseph DiNapoli
. On August 24, 2006, Crea was released from prison with parole
restrictions that prohibited him from associating with other mobsters or union officials. On November 17, 2009, Crea's parole restrictions expired. It is believed that Crea might take over as the Lucchese acting boss with Amuso's approval.
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...
.
Rise to power
Steven Lorenzo Crea was born to first generation immigrants from Serralunga di CreaSerralunga di Crea
Serralunga di Crea is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 km east of Turin and about 35 km northwest of Alessandria....
, Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. He earned his nickname "Wonderboy
Wonder Boy (comics)
Wonder Boy is the name of two fictional characters who have appeared as superheroes in comics published by Quality Comics and DC Comics. The original was an alien who appeared in National Comics...
" after the fictional Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
. Crea was inducted into the Lucchese family sometime in the 1980s, probably under the reign of boss Anthony Corallo
Anthony Corallo
Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
. By 1990, family boss Victor Amuso
Victor Amuso
Vittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is a New York mobster and, as of 2011, the reputed Boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is currently serving life at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas on murder and racketeering charges....
appointed Crea capo, taking over "Sammy Bones" Castaldi crew in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. Crea specialized in labor rackets, such as gaining power over Carpenter's Local 608 and using it to extort New York City contractors. Crea held a no-show job at Inner City Drywall, one of the city's largest drywall
Drywall
Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...
contractors and was on the Cement and Concrete Workers Union involved with Local 282.
In 1993, with Amuso and 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...
's support, Crea became Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
of the Lucchese 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...
. Using his new clout, Crea shifted the family's power center away from the Brooklyn crews and back to the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and Bronx crews who had historically controlled the family for decades. In the early 1990s, several Amuso/Casso loyalists, including George Zappola
George Zappola
George "Georgie Neck" Zappola is a New York mobster and caporegime with the Lucchese crime family who became infamous for smuggling a sperm sample out of prison to impregnate his girlfriend.-Biography:Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City...
and Frank "Spaghetti Man" Gioia, Jr. hatched a plot to kill Crea, and take over the family. They planned to lure Crea to a sitdown and then murder him. However, the plot fell through after Zapolla, Gioia, and the rest of Amuso/Casso regime were indicted and imprisoned.
Construction boss
From 1997 through 1999, Crea served as the head of the "Lucchese Construction Group", which also included Lucchese capos Dominic Truscello, head of the Prince Street Crew, and Joseph Tangorra, head of a Brooklyn crew. The Construction Group brokered the bribe payments and the "mob tax" payments to be received from contractors, and settled disputes over who would dominate a particular construction site. Also, the mobsters were placed on the company payroll so they could report legitimate taxable income to the U.S Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS). During its existence, the Construction Group controlled over $40 million dollars in construction contracts, increasing overall construction costs by 5%.
In 1998, after acting Lucchese boss Joseph DeFede
Joseph DeFede
Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede is a New York City mobster and former acting boss of the Lucchese crime family who eventually turned informant.-Early years:...
was indicted on labor racketeering and extortion charges, Crea became the family's new acting boss.
Indictment
On September 6, 2000, Crea and other members of the Lucchese Construction Group were indicted in New York on state enterprise corruption, labor racketeering, extortionExtortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and bid-rigging charges. The District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
charged that these schemes had systematically siphoned off millions of dollars from both public and private construction projects. Specifically, Crea used mob associates to extort building contractors who wished to receive rights to no-bid jobs or who wanted to reduce the number of union members on their payrolls. Truscello, Tangorra, and other family members went to prison. Tangorra suffered a nervous breakdown and eventually took a 16-year prison sentence deal. In 2006, Crea pleaded guilty to lesser state charges and was sentenced to prison for two to six years.
Family leadership
In 2006, the Lucchese family was allegedly headed by official boss Amuso, but day-to-day operations were being managed by a panel including Aniello MiglioreAniello Migliore
Aniello "Neil" Migliore is a New York City mobster, and acting leader of the Lucchese crime family. Migliore was a close associate of family bosses Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese and Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo.-Early years:...
, Matthew Madonna
Matthew Madonna
Matthew Madonna is a caporegime with the Lucchese crime family who was heavily involved in narcotics trafficking and bribery of government officials.-Narcotics trafficking:...
, and Joseph DiNapoli
Joseph DiNapoli
Joseph "Joey Dee" DiNapoli , is a high-ranking member of the Lucchese crime family, holding the rank of caporegime or captain, in the family's Ruling Committee/Panel, controlling the day-to-day operations since 2003, along with Aniello "Neil" Migliore and Matthew Madonna...
. On August 24, 2006, Crea was released from prison with parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
restrictions that prohibited him from associating with other mobsters or union officials. On November 17, 2009, Crea's parole restrictions expired. It is believed that Crea might take over as the Lucchese acting boss with Amuso's approval.
Further reading
- Goldstock, Ronald, Martin Marcus and II Thacher. Corruption and Racketeering in the New York City Construction Industry: Final Report of the New York State Organized Crime Task Force. New York: NYU Press, 1990. ISBN 0-8147-3034-5
- Milhorn, H. Thomas. Crime: Computer Viruses to Twin Towers. Boca Raton, Florida: Universal Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-58112-489-9
- 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
External links
- Judge Hands Labor Racketeering Kingpin a Soft Sentence, Over Prosecutors' Complaints by Tom Robbins
- Luchese Underboss and Captain Plead Guilty to Extortion Charges in Federal Court District Attorney of New York (October 1, 2003)