Louis Vallario
Encyclopedia
Louis Vallario, also known as "Big Louie" and "Big Lou" (born 1942), is a member of the Gambino crime family
who was a top aide to boss John Gotti
and Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano in the late 1980s.
sections of Brooklyn
. Vallario's illegal activities included loansharking, illegal gambling, bookmaking, and labor racketeering. Vallario was a close criminal associate of Frank Fappiano, Edward Garafola, Thomas Carbonaro, and Joseph D'Angelo. When Gravano later became a government witness, he refused to testify against Vallario.
In 1986, Gotti murdered boss Paul Castellano
and underboss Thomas Bilotti
to take over the Gambino family. Gravano then became consigliere and Vallario took over Gravano's crew. Vallario reportedly became one of Gotti's top aides. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Vallario became a prominent figure in the construction industry and enjoyed major influence over the New York City labor unions.
(RICO) charges, such as racketeering, extortion
, loansharking, illegal gambling, conspiracy
and murder for hire. Gravano eventually turned state's evidence, as Gotti and Consigliere
Frank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio
were sentenced to life imprisonment
in 1992, the same time as Vallario was charged with racketeering.
In 1996, Vallario was promoted to the Gambino "Ruling Panel" with mobsters Steven "Stevie Coogan" Grammauta
and Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo
, John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
and Peter Gotti
. John Gotti created the panel to assist his son John "Junior" Gotti
, as acting boss. Vallario sat on the panel until 2002.
(SEIU) Local 32B-32J. Prosecutors charged that corrupt members of this local enriched themselves through no-show jobs. Vallario pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation
.
In 2002, Vallario was indicted for murder, extortion, loansharking, bribery and illegal gambling. In April 2004, Vallario pleaded guilty to the 1989 murder of Frederick Weiss. A recycling executive and former city editor of the Staten Island Advance
, Weiss was involved with the Gambino family in an illegal landfill
scheme. Boss John Gotti ordered Vallario to kill Weiss because Gotti feared Weiss might become a government witness. Vallario shot Weiss to death outside Weiss's home on Staten Island
. Vallario was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
As of March 2011, Vallario is incarcerated in the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Fort Dix, New Jersey
. His projected release date is October 15, 2013.
Gambino crime family
The Gambino 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 group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
who was a top aide to boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
and Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano in the late 1980s.
Criminal history
Vallario was born in New York to first-generation immigrants from Piedmont, Italy. As a child, Vallario was friends with future Gambino mobster John Gotti. During the 1970s, Vallorio joined the Gambino family as a crew member for Gravano in the Bensonhurst and Red HookRed Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. It is also the location where the transatlantic liner, the , docks in New York City.- History :...
sections of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Vallario's illegal activities included loansharking, illegal gambling, bookmaking, and labor racketeering. Vallario was a close criminal associate of Frank Fappiano, Edward Garafola, Thomas Carbonaro, and Joseph D'Angelo. When Gravano later became a government witness, he refused to testify against Vallario.
In 1986, Gotti murdered boss Paul Castellano
Paul Castellano
Constantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
and underboss Thomas Bilotti
Thomas Bilotti
Thomas Bilotti was a New York mobster and then Underboss for the reputed Boss of the Gambino crime family, Paul Castellano.-Early years:...
to take over the Gambino family. Gravano then became consigliere and Vallario took over Gravano's crew. Vallario reportedly became one of Gotti's top aides. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Vallario became a prominent figure in the construction industry and enjoyed major influence over the New York City labor unions.
Gotti's fall
In 1991, dozens of members of the family were indicted and sent to prison on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) charges, such as racketeering, 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...
, loansharking, illegal gambling, conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
and murder for hire. Gravano eventually turned state's evidence, as Gotti 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...
Frank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio
Frank Locascio
Frank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio is a New York mobster who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family, under Boss John Gotti. LoCascio is the father of Salvatore LoCascio, a caporegime in the Gambino family....
were sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in 1992, the same time as Vallario was charged with racketeering.
In 1996, Vallario was promoted to the Gambino "Ruling Panel" with mobsters Steven "Stevie Coogan" Grammauta
Stephen Grammauta
Stephen "Stevie Coogan" Grammauta is a caporegime with the Gambino crime family who allegedly participated in the murder of mob boss Albert "Mad Hatter" Anastasia.- Early life & crime :...
and Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo
Michael DiLeonardo
Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo is an Italian-American New York mobster who formerly belonged to the Gambino crime family and is now a government informant.-Background:...
, John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
Jackie D'Amico
John "Jackie the Nose" D'Amico is a New York mobster that served as street boss of the Gambino crime family from 2005 to 2011. "Street boss" had been the family's number one position ever since official Boss Peter Gotti started serving a life sentence in prison.-Early life:D'Amico stands 5'11" ...
and Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
. John Gotti created the panel to assist his son John "Junior" Gotti
Junior Gotti
John Angelo Gotti III or "Junior" Gotti is a former New York City mobster who in the 1990s, according to law enforcement claims, led the Gambino crime family of Cosa Nostra for his imprisoned father John J. Gotti, who died in 2002. Between 2004 and 2009 Gotti has been a defendant in four...
, as acting boss. Vallario sat on the panel until 2002.
Convictions and prison
In April 2001, Vallario was indicted in a corruption case against officials of Service Employees International UnionService Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
(SEIU) Local 32B-32J. Prosecutors charged that corrupt members of this local enriched themselves through no-show jobs. Vallario pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
.
In 2002, Vallario was indicted for murder, extortion, loansharking, bribery and illegal gambling. In April 2004, Vallario pleaded guilty to the 1989 murder of Frederick Weiss. A recycling executive and former city editor of the Staten Island Advance
Staten Island Advance
The Staten Island Advance is a daily newspaper published in the borough of Staten Island in New York City. The only daily newspaper published in the borough, and the only borough to have its own major daily paper, it covers news of local and community interest, including borough politics. As of...
, Weiss was involved with the Gambino family in an illegal landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
scheme. Boss John Gotti ordered Vallario to kill Weiss because Gotti feared Weiss might become a government witness. Vallario shot Weiss to death outside Weiss's home on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. Vallario was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
As of March 2011, Vallario is incarcerated in the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Fort Dix, New Jersey
Fort Dix, New Jersey
JB MDL Dix , better known as Fort Dix, is a United States Army base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Dix is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Reserve Command...
. His projected release date is October 15, 2013.