Hey guys first post.
I would like to preface this with I could be completely wrong, on both matters, but I figured I would ask.
But two questions: what is the status of the Pitt family? I've heard maybe a dozen wise guys and even less associates, any truth to this? Seems like it would be a solid place to make money as its big but not too big and has enough violent crime to actually take some of the heat away from like a shy business or some other small rackets. Anyone got anything on them?
Also, I read somewhere, can't find it now that years ago some LCN guys would 'escape' to the small mountains in WV? I could imagine, my parents lived there a while, and most of the police force was pretty easy going and would let almost anything slide. Also, I ran into a decent amount of pretty legitimate trattorias owned by other Italians from elsewhere, doesn't exactly mean they are connected by any means, but who knows.
The Pittsburgh family was still operating until 2006. The last three made members standing are Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti, Charles "Chucky Porter (defected) and Lenine "Lenny" Strollo (defected). Sonny Ciancutti's last bust was in 2000 and Frank "Sonny" Amato Jr and John Bazzano Jr were still operating until their deaths in 2003 and 2008. Pittsburgh had an unusually large number of associates, some who were respected as much as the made members. The Wheeling, WV faction died in 1990 after the conviction of Paul "No Legs" Hankish, the longtime boss of Wheeling. Hankish reported to Chucky Porter, the Pittsburgh Underboss from 1987-1991.
The place that many of the Pittsburgh wiseguys went to was a hunting camp in Tionesta, PA called Charlie's Roost and owned by longtime Pittsburgh Underboss Joseph "Jo Jo" Pecora. Many of the Bufalino Family, Philadelphia family and Genovese Family in NYC would meet with the Pittsburgh contingent up there to discuss business. Mike Genovese, Charlie Imburgia and Jo Jo Pecora would hold court after hunting, fishing and shooting high powered firearms for fun. I never read anything about the Pittsburgh guys going to the mountains of WV, I'm not saying you are wrong but I just never came across that in my 12+ years researching this family.
