Scott M. Deitche - Hitmen: The Mafia, Drugs, and the East Harlem Purple Gang

Scott M. Deitche is an author specializing in organized crime. His books include Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld and Garden State Gangland: The Rise of the Mob in New Jersey. He has written articles on organized crime for local and national magazines and newspapers. He also has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, the American Heroes Channel, A&E, news and radio shows. Deitche is a member of the Mob Museums Advisory Council.

A s always, I first want to thank my wife for all her support, love, and, above all, patience through the writing of this book.

I want to thank my family for their continued support. Thanks to my amazing literary agent Gina Panettieri for all her hard work and guidance through the years. Thanks to Becca Beurer, Nicole Carty, and the staff at Rowman & Littlefield for all their work and patience with my shifting deadlines!

This book would not have been possible without Christopher Haugen at the Drug Enforcement Administration for all his assistance with my Freedom of Information Act requests. Another huge thank-you to Talia Bank and her wonderful photographs. Thanks to Phyllis Schultze at Rutgers for her efforts in searching through the papers of Alan Block at Rutgers University. And special thanks to John Marzulli, public information officer at the U.S. Department of Justice, and Allon Lifshitz, the deputy chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorneys Office.

For their generous time and help with stories, research, and materials, thanks to Jim Nauwens; Rory McMahon for his insight into the Don Aronow murder; Art Harris, Nick Pileggi, Chris Kasparoza, Mike DiCerto, John Pennisi, and Tom LaVecchia for their support and help; T. J. English; Ken Smith; Ralph Nieves; Michael Dabin at the New York Daily News for his help digging up some old photos; Jim Murphy, Gus and Nick Sperling, and Lisa Babick for supplying me with transcripts from the Meldish murder trial; and Scott Burnstein, Michael Hollash, Anthony Ruggiano Jr., John Alite, Gene Borello, Judy Doyle, Larry McShane, Atlee Wampler, Bill Maderer, Al Lamberti, Robert Geronimo, Pleasant Avenue Apparel, Forgotten NY, The Black Hand Forum, and the staff (Geoff, Jeff, Jonathan, Ashley, Erika, and Shakala) at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas.

And, for anyone I forgot, Ill catch you on the next book!

1954 Red Wings and Fordham Baldies. March 17, 2012. http://newyorkcitygangs.com/?page_id=192.

Across the Nation. Narcotics Control Digest 8, no. 11 (1978): 9.

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. North American Organised Crime. Global Crime 6, no. 1 (2004): 818. https://doi.org/10.1080/1744057042000297945.

Albini, J. L. American Mafia: Genesis of a Legend. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1971.

Alleged Street Boss and Underboss of La Cosa Nostra Family Charged with Murder and Racketeering Offenses in White Plains Federal Court. May 31, 2017. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/alleged-street-boss-and-underboss-la-cosa-nostra-family-charged-murder-and-racketering.

Anderson, Jack. Another Outbreak of.22-Caliber Fever in Mafialand? New York Daily News, August 29, 1980.

Anderson, Jack, and Les Written..22 Pistols Used in Gangland Killing. Detroit Free Press, December 6, 1977.

Appellee, v. Alphonse Sisca et al., Appellants, 503 F.2d 1337 (1974). U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Appellee, v. Dominick Martino, Defendant-Appellant, 759 F.2d 998 (2d Cir. 1985). April 3, 1985. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/759/998/259977.

Appellee, v. John J. Zagari; Pasquale Pat Maselli, Aka Pat; Frank Salerno; Frank Trapani, Aka Harpo; Angelo J. Dipalo, Aka Shorty; Peter Del Cioppo, Aka Petey Del; George Merusi; James A. Rogan, Aka Jimmy; Raymond E. Ryder; David Zanolini; Morton Wagner, Aka Morty, Defendants, Donald Herzog; Alfred Christiansen; Charles Shay, Defendants-Appellants, 111 F.3d 307 (2d Cir. 1997). April 17, 1997. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/111/307/630348.

Appellee, v. Michael Angelo Meldish, Defendant-Appellant, 722 F.2d 26 (2d Cir. 1983). November 28, 1983. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/722/26/51490.

Appellee, v. Paschal Demauro, Defendant-Appellant, 581 F.2d 50 (2d Cir. 1978). July 20, 1978. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/581/50/279646.

Appellee, v. Vincent Dinapoli, Louis Dinapoli, Nicholas Auletta, Edward Halloran,Aniello Migliore, and Alvin O. Chattin, Defendants-Appellants, 8 F.3d 909 (2d Cir. 1993). November 1, 1993. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/8/909/614094.

Arizona Republic. FBI Agents Gather to Discuss Mafia Killings. April 15, 1977.

Arnold Squittieri and Alphonse Sisca, Petitioners v. United States of America, No. 89-246 (1989). U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

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Asbury Park Press. Reputed Drug Dealer Slain in Private Manhattan Club. December 4, 1975.

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. Jerseyans Netted in Narcotics Raids. Asbury Park Press, October 21, 1972.

. Ex-Bar Owner Shot to Death. Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 12, 1975.

. Slain Man Linked to Shooting. Wichita Eagle, April 11, 1976.

. Mob Link to NYC Slaying Probed. Press and Sun-Bulletin, February 10, 1977.

. Possible Gang Lottery Ties. Daily Messenger, February 18, 1977.

. Bail Set on Man Linked to Murder. Asbury Park Press, April 22, 1977.

. Suspected Mastermind of French Connection Is Murdered in Prison. RomeNews-Tribune, July 28, 1977.

. Slain Lawyer Could Finger Hoffa Killers, Time Says. Herald-Palladium, November 15, 1977.

. Bergen Man Indicted for Silence. The Record, June 13, 1980.

. Mob Linked to Illegal Dumping in Poconos. Citizens Voice, October 14, 1992.

Authorities Arrest Nephew of Lucchese Family Captain. April 12, 2012. http://www.fivefamiliesnyc.com/2012/04/authorities-arrest-nephew-of-lucchese.html.

Automated Ticket Sys v. State, 125 A.D.2d 55, N.Y. App. Div., February 19, 1987. https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/59148cd6add7b049345392eb.

Automated Ticket Systems, LTD v. Quinn (1979). Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department.

Berak, Barry. Helicopter Crash Foils Drug Smugglers Prison Escape. Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1989. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-18-mn-2021-story.html.

Berman, Geoffrey S., U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York. United States v.Madonna et al. Case 7:17-cr-00089-CS (2019).

. United States v. Matthew Madonna, et al. 17 Cr. 89 (CS), Sentencing Memorandum (2020).

Block, Alan A. Masters of Paradise: Organised Crime and the Internal Revenue Service in the Bahamas. New York: Routledge, 2018.

. Bad Business: A Commentary on the Criminology of Organized Crime in the United States. In Transnational Crime in the Americas, edited by Tom Farer, 21744. New York: Routledge, 1999.

Block, Alan A., and Frank R. Scarpitti. Poisoning for Profit: The Mafia and Toxic Waste in America. New York: Morrow, 1985.

Blum, Howard. Gangs Former Errand Boys Form Their Own Mob, Police Say.