Gangland announced today that Vic Amuso stepped down.Crea is now in the big seat.

Oh damn this is big news! good post Ronnie!

I guess, but it's not at all unexpected. The guy has been at or near the top of the Luccheses for over twenty years. So to me this is almost anti-climactic.

It should be noted that there's no love lost between Crea and Amuso. Amuso and Casso provoking a civil war with the Bronx and Jersey factions of the family is what led to their downfall.

And whatever rebuilding they've been able to do should be credited to Stevie's businesslike, non-violent (for the most part) approach to running the show. Had Amuso and Casso been left on the street, I honestly believe they both would have gotten popped no later than the mid-1990s.

Vic Amuso couldn't shine Stevie's shoes. As a leader or as a businessman.

Technically, Amuso was told via a message in the can he wasnt the official boss anymore and that he shouldnt protest, so he didnt voluntarily step down. Important distinction to make I think. We all know what happens when a Boss refuses to step down just look at Carmine Persico.

Two new official bosses, Cefalu with the Gambinos and now Crea with the Luccheses. Capeci also talked about how some older Lucchese guys who are being released are getting back into the fold peacefully. Guys like Frank Lastorino and Eugene Castelle.

That was my point, Dapper. If Amuso were on the street, I doubt he would have survived the '90s.

Yeah, Gaspipe would have taken him out probably if he wasnt picked up by the feds, and then Gaspipe would have been popped by somebody lol

How many luchesses are on the street right now?
How strong is the jersey faction after that last indictment?
This Crea seems to be heavily involved with union and labour activity.

That's always been his bread and butter. He has very close ties to all three DiNapoli brothers (two in the Genovese family, one in his own), and they've made an absolute fortune in the construction business (everything from drywall to concrete). He's not your average street guy.

Pizzaboy when do you think Persico will also stepped down?

I read that Vic and Gas were gonna whack Crea but the hit team was arrested or someting like that

Do you mean willingly?

Because he'll willingly step down when they carry his lifeless body out of prison .

I don't say willingly, but after everything that has happened to the Colombos a new boss, maybe a man on the streets and not in prison, could maybe regroup the family.

I would never say never with these guys, but with that particular family it will be tough. The Feds really seem to enjoy kicking them while they're down. So In my opinion, their regrouping really depends on whether or not the Feds keep piling on the indictments.

It's also important to note that it happened at all. Some people say that the title doesn't necessarily mean anything if the guys in prison for life. But it obviously does or why would the family even have bothered to suggest that Amuso step down? Crea's official position was underboss, though he may have more or less acting as the boss for some time, but only after Amuso stepped down did Crea become the official boss.

Amuso must have still had a good number of people on the street still loyal to him for them to have accepted him as the boss all this time. Then alot of those guys have probably gone to prison and now this guy feels its the right time for him and his people to step in uncontested.

The new Gang Land article also identified a new Lucchese captain - John (Big John) Castellucci. He has apparently taken over the Brooklyn crew once run by Joey Tangorra and Eugene Castelle, and later Domenico (Danny) Cutaia. Capeci wrote that sources say Castelle now reports to Castellucci, who is his brother, despite the different last names.

A more recent photo of Crea and a photo of Big John

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.

Yep, case in point Nicky Scarfo Jr. In his recent indictment, the transcripts talked about how Scarfo Sr was telling Jr to make sure he gives the old man/Amuso his cut.

yep, that new man will probably be another persico relative

I wonder who steps up now as Underboss and I havent heard anything about Joe Caridi since he got out the can...

do you mean that eugene castelle real surname is castellucci? it was another surname's mistake... maybe police wote it wrong in some indictments... thats coz castelle sounded strange to me

Yep. Exactly.

Somebody on the RD forum said that Castellucci is the original name and Castelle is the Americanized version. Don't know if that's the case or not. But they are brothers.

castellucci is the real surname and castelle is americanized i bet

That's pretty much what m2w said.

I wonder if this gives a domino affect to like the genovese or bonannos. luccheses must of made a new official boss because of the gambinos

Is it possible that Cutaia is the new underboss?

I found an article in the Herald Statesman published in Nov 3, 1984. Together with a police officer and others, Crea was charged with murder conspiracy in 1983:

"The 43-year-old Yorktown Heights resident — a 19-year
veteran of the Pelham Manor force — was indicted in June
1983 along with Neil Formisano,37. and Steven Crea, 36, on
charges of conspiring to murder Devon Smith, 20.
The men, Carollo charged, planned to take justice into their
own hands, believing that Smith had sexually attacked one of their wives.
During the three-week trial, Carmine DeNisco admitted allowing his alleged co-conspirators and the victim to view Smith at Pelham Manor police headquarters on June 9. 1982. At the time, Smith was under arrest as a suspect in the rape of two Pelham Manor girls. He was later released, but rearrested on Nov. 5 for a separate attack on two Pelham girls.
DeNisco also admitted keeping Formisano who he considered a good friend, informed about the progress of the case. Crea and two others, including ex-middleweight boxer "Crazy" Bobby Halpern, were arrested outside of Smith's
Bronx home on Aug. 13, 1982 with guns and handcuffs. Charges
agsinst them from that incident were later dropped.
But DeNisco denied being involved in a murder plot. He said
that any information he gave Formisano was a matter of public
record. He also denied Carollo's charge that he conspired
with the men in lieu of interest payments on $25,000 they had
loaned him. He did admit during a taped conversation, however,
that he thought Smith might get beaten up by the men.
DeNisco also denied assertions that he tried to delay
Smith's second arrest in November at the request of Formisano.
Pelham police officers, testifying for the defense, said DeNisco had no control over when or how Smith would be arrested.
The alleged conspiracy was uncovered accidently as investigators tapped Formisano's telephone during a probe into allegations that Con Edison was being defrauded of millions of dollars in a meter-tampering and bill-fixing scheme.
Formisano and Crea are to be tried next week on the same conspiracy charges DeNisco faced."

I think, but I´m not sure, the woman who was raped was Crea´s wife.
Murder conspiracy charges against Crea was later dismissed. But he was convicted of the less serious charge of second degree conspiracy to commit assaualt.

I remember when that happened, Hairy. You know me by now, so you know that I'm no mob apologist, but when someone fucks with your wife or daughter, all bets are off. If I was on such a jury, they'd NEVER get a conviction on such a case.

Off topic, that newspaper (The Herald Statesman) is now called The Journal News, so seeing that article really took me back. God, I'm getting old .