The Rockford List

This is a list of past and present members of the Rockford crime family. I got the list from a few sources.

1. Angelo Buscemi (1934) Was the cousin to future Rockford Mob boss Frank Buscemi.

2. Frank Buscemi (1950s-1987) Became the boss following the death of Tony Zammuto. Owned the Stateline Vending Co.

3. Lorenzo "Larry" Buttice (1933-1967) Was a family soldier.

4. Phil "Philly" Cannela (1942-1971) Was considered a capo. The son-in-law of Giorgio Saladino.

5. Gaspare "Jasper" Calo (1933-?) Became boss after Tony Musso died in 1957. Was soon replaced by Tony Zammuto.

6. Joseph Capriola (1933-1992) Was a family soldier.

7. John Domino (1933-1977) Was a family soldier who was originally from New Orleans.

8. Phil "The Tailor" Emordeno (1930s-1981) Was a family soldier.

9. Joseph "Pep" Fiorenza (1984-Pr) A very active member of the Rockford Mob.

10. Nick Fiorenza (2005-Pr) A soldier and the son of Joseph Fiorenza.

11. John "Tiger" Frisella (1980s-Pr) A family soldier involved in bookmaking.

12. Natale Galluzzo (1970s-Pr) The brother of Sam Galluzzo and the owner of Gerry's Pizza in Rockford.

13. Frank Giardano Sr. (1930s-1970s) Was a family soldier.

14. Frank Giardano Jr. (1970s-Pr) Was recently sentenced to 3 years of probation for being involved in a sports betting operation.

15. Salvatore "Sam" Galluzzo (1970s-Pr) The current boss of the Rockford Mob.

16. Sebastiano "Knobby" Gullota (1959-2000) Became boss after Charles Vince passed away.

17. Theodore "Teddy" Ingrassia (1933-1974) Was a family soldier.

18. Joseph Maggio (1965-1980) A Rockford mobster who was murdered in 1980.

19. Salvatore "Sam" Mera (1933-1964) Was a family soldier.

20. Antonio "Tony" Musso (1933-1958) Was the first boss of Rockford and a close friend of Al Capone.

21. Sam Oliveri (1934-1969) Was a family soldier. Owned the Gasparini & Oliveri Funeral Home in Rockford.

22. Paul "Peachey" Picchioni (1933-1974) Was a family soldier who relocated to Texas and became a Dallas family associate.

23. Sam Giardano (1990s-Pr) A family soldier and the brother of Frank Giardano Jr.

24. Nick Provenzano (1990s-Pr) A family soldier who was recently busted along with Joseph Fiorenza for being involved in a Sports Betting operation.

25. Frank Rumore (1933-1954) Was a well respected Rockford mobster.

26. Giorgio Saladino (1930s-?) Was a family soldier and the father of Joseph Saladino and Frank Saladino.

27. Frank "Ghoomba" Saladino (1970s-2005) Became boss after Sebastiano Gullota died in 2000. Was the son of former Rockford soldier Giorgio Saladino.

28. Joseph Saladino (1990s-Pr) A capo and the brother of Frank Saladino.

29. Peter SanFilippo (1933-1940s) Was a family soldier and a bootlegger with Tony Musso.

30. Peter Schifo (1940s-1969) A capo who was involved in loan sharking.

31. Ignatzio "Iggy" Seminerio (1961-2001) Was a family soldier who owned the Littly Italy Restaurant in Rockford.

32. Charles "Vinci" Vince (1960s-1994) A known Rockford mobster who took over as boss after Frank Buscemi died in 1987. Was a friend of Milwaukee boss Frank Balistrieri.

33. Anthony "Tony" Zammuto (1933-1981) Was the third boss of the Rockford Mob.

34. Joseph Zito (1933-1981) Was the original consigliere of the Rockford crime family.

That's valuable information and I'm gonna remember that the next time I hear a Cheap Trick song...

Did you read anywhere that stated whether this family was completely independent and autonomous, or do they take direction from another family? Do you think that they're more closely aligned with Milwaukee or with Chicago?

tony b.

What's a cheap trick song?

Rockford- The Gangland and the Organized Crime Syndicate websites say Rockford is now independent, but at one time were a crew of the Chicago Outfit. I believe it.

Just noticed this one. I guess it wasn't easy for him to live with a surname like that (it means "filth" in Italian).

What is the current administration in this family?

The family is defunct.

Oh thanks for the info I thought they were still active. To bad more and more of these small families are going defunct.

The last case out of there was a relatively small gambling case a few years ago. And the top guy in the bust was an Outfit associate.



Not how I would put it but OK.

Sorry but not familiar with this family at all where are/were they based?

Rockford, Illinois. There's always been some debate about whether they were an independent family, and when, or just an extension of the Chicago Outfit.

Thanks Ivy without any knowledge on this i'm guessing it was just an extension of the outfit like you could arguee Milwaukee,LA and other western families were.

Well, Milwaukee, LA, and others in the west were technically their own independent families. Chicago simply had a certain degree of influence over them. The question about Rockford deals with whether it was it's own independent family or just a case of the Outfit setting up shop there. Or maybe it was once the former and then the latter.

Yeah you're probably right abou Milwaukee and LA but i doubt there was a family in Illinois that wasn't controlled by the outfit.

The laying claim to the Midwest thing isn't really true. They sure had a right to set up shop wherever they wished, but not all the Midwest families answered to them.

-St. Louis answered to Kansas City until 1960, which answered to Chicago. But Tony Giordano hated Chicago and if he answered to anyone it was Detroit, who was his closest ally.
-LA never answered to Chicago, and neither did San Francisco or San Jose.
-The Smaldones were closest with St. Louis but I'm not sure with them
-Dallas answered to New Orleans (is Dallas Midwest)?

In the end yes, Milwaukee, KC and the minor Rockford family answered to Chicago. And that counted for a lot, but it wasn't everything, it wasn't a Midwest takeover. The greatest right Chicago had was to open up shop anywhere in the Midwest that wasn't taken.

Ivy more or less adressed all of that. Was Rockforf part of the outfit?

I fully agree. It seems that the San Jose and San Francisco Families actually was represented by the Bonannos on the Commission and LA by the Luccheses.

Cheap Trick is a rock band from Rockford, Illinois. Damn dude!

with as much annonymity as I can have on the web...I'm from Rockford and have lived here most of my life (43 yrs) and am currently in a position to which, due to the nature of this site, I cannot divulge...I know several of the people on this list personally most of the live ones and a couple of the deceased, have been to Zammuto's several times (small eatery on Kent st with excellent granitas) as well as VERY good friends of Provenzano and Galluzo families (the actual blood relations). The Rockford 'family' is VERY low key and after the gambling bust a few years back, are doing good to keep under the radar. So, is the family defunct??? Not at all, but they won't be making headlines anytime soon either.
As far as this list goes...you're missing some key players that have stepped in or have been brought up.
Personally know Cheap Trick members too...Robin (lead singer) is an ass, the rest are pretty cool.

Ricky Fiorenza being one perhaps? I believe he resides in Loves Park but frequents the usual Outfit hangouts. Is probably related to the Fiorenza listed above.

Agreed they probably remain extremely low-key and mostly involved in gambling, etc.