Lawrence Dentico
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Dentico also known as "Larry Fab","Little Larry" and "The Little Guy", is a New Jersey
mobster who is a former captain and consigliere
for the Genovese crime family
.
Lawrence Dentico is the son of Vito Antonio Dentico and Rose. He is the brother of Joseph born November 5, 1898 in Gioria Del Collo in Calabria, Italy and is the brother-in-law to Theresa Romano, the wife of his brother Joseph.
In 1949 and in 1952, Dentico served brief prison sentences for selling heroin. During the 1950s, Dentico worked for boss Vito Genovese
. In 1957, authorities suspected that Dentico provided the murder weapon and getaway car in the shooting death of mobster Johnny Earle. In 1966, Dentico was arrested for loansharking and extortion rackets in Hoboken, New Jersey
.
When Vincent "the Chin" Gigante
became family boss in 1981, Dentico was working as a top aide in New Jersey to Louis Manna
, the former consigliere. In 1981, Dentico was convicted of fraud and conspiracy involving the bribing of officials in Union City, New Jersey
, to rig bids on public construction contracts and served a six-year prison sentence. After Gigante went to prison for racketeering in 1997, Dentico and Genovese mobster Frank Illiano
formed a two-man ruling panel of street bosses to operated the family.
In August 2005, Dentico and other Genovese mobsters were indicted on charges of extortion
conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder. The defendants were accused of participating in loansharking, sports bookmaking, numbers running, and football-ticket gambling. Dentico pleaded guilty and on August 16, 2006 was sentenced to 51 months in prison. On May 12, 2009, Dentico was released from prison.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
mobster who is a former captain and consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
for the Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
.
Lawrence Dentico is the son of Vito Antonio Dentico and Rose. He is the brother of Joseph born November 5, 1898 in Gioria Del Collo in Calabria, Italy and is the brother-in-law to Theresa Romano, the wife of his brother Joseph.
In 1949 and in 1952, Dentico served brief prison sentences for selling heroin. During the 1950s, Dentico worked for boss Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
. In 1957, authorities suspected that Dentico provided the murder weapon and getaway car in the shooting death of mobster Johnny Earle. In 1966, Dentico was arrested for loansharking and extortion rackets in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
.
When Vincent "the Chin" Gigante
Vincent Gigante
Vincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
became family boss in 1981, Dentico was working as a top aide in New Jersey to Louis Manna
Louis Manna
Louis Anthony "Bobby" Manna , is a New Jersey mobster and former consigliere of the Genovese crime family.-Genovese family:...
, the former consigliere. In 1981, Dentico was convicted of fraud and conspiracy involving the bribing of officials in Union City, New Jersey
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
, to rig bids on public construction contracts and served a six-year prison sentence. After Gigante went to prison for racketeering in 1997, Dentico and Genovese mobster Frank Illiano
Frank Illiano
Frank "Punchy" Illiano is a Brooklyn capo with the Genovese crime family. During the 1960's and 1970's, he served as a top lieutenant to the Gallo brothers in their two wars with the Colombo crime family leadership.-Biography:...
formed a two-man ruling panel of street bosses to operated the family.
In August 2005, Dentico and other Genovese mobsters were indicted on charges of extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder. The defendants were accused of participating in loansharking, sports bookmaking, numbers running, and football-ticket gambling. Dentico pleaded guilty and on August 16, 2006 was sentenced to 51 months in prison. On May 12, 2009, Dentico was released from prison.
Further reading
- United States. Congress. Senate. Appropriations Committee. Treasury and Post Office Departments Appropriations, 1954, Hearings Before the Subcommittee of the Committee of Appropriations. 1953. http://books.google.com/books?vid=0XcQDHOw9wOcd3zQLOWLcib&id=sGJp3XXJA60C&q=Lawrence+Dentico&dq=Lawrence+Dentico&pgis=1
- Mafia: The Government's Secret File on Organized Crime