Yes Sonny. I think that might be the case. Salerno seems to have been the boss for a short time in the beginning of the 1980s before being bumped down. I don´t know the details, but perhaps the feds started to build their case against him already back then with wiretaps and collecting of other evidence. When it was time for indictments, the feds (knowingly or not of the fact that Salerno had been bumped down) wasn´t willing to discontinue what they had started.

And Chopps, you´re a stand up guy. Appreciate it.

Was the Chin named in fhe commission case? Not trying t argue, serious question.

No he wasn´t. And for the record, I know you´re not trying to argue.

When do you consider Chin became the boss? If anyone even knows what was going on on the westside in the early 80s.

Yeah. Gee... Salerno suffered a stroke in 1982. So I figure Chin was made boss sometimes right after Salerno´s illness.
There was a thrid player also. Philip Lombardo. But he seems to have retired sometimes around 1981 and moved to Florida. Lombardo (who I believe had functioned as boss during the 70s), could have briefly served in an acting capacity for some months or so, before Chin took over. (Perhaps)

As I understand it, Fat Tony was set to become boss but had the stroke before he actually assumed the position. When he was recovering, Chin took over as official boss. I think this was around 1981 or so. Which is also the year Cafaro said Lombardo stepped down. The feds didn't know Chin was the official boss until Cafaro revealed it when he flipped in 1986.