The Butcher
Authors: Philip Carlo
Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath
This book is dedicated to ASAC Jim Hunt and the members of the Pitera task force out of Group 33 in the Drug Enforcement Administration's New York officeâKen Feldman, Tom Geisel, Bruce Travers, Mike Agrifolio, John McKenna, John Welch, Eric Stangeby, Rob Barber, Mike Grabowski, John Wilson, Tim McDonald, Dave Toracinta, and Violet Szelecky. Every day, these brave men and women put their lives on the line fighting the scourge that drugs are, warring with extremely wealthy, diabolical, highly motivated drug lords from all over the world.
“Right now, the federal government is fighting a war on drug abuse under a distinct handicap, for its efforts are those of a loosely confederated alliance facing a resourceful, elusive, worldwide enemy.”
âRichard Nixon, July 1973, upon creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration
“There's never been anyone like him. He was like a vampire. We believe he killed over sixty people. We followed him for three years. He always wore black. His face was very white. One night we saw him doing chins on a fire escape in a dark alley at four o'clock in the morning. It was an unsettling sight.”
âAgent David Toracinta
“If anyone deserved the death penalty, it was Tommy Pitera.”
â
Federal Prosecutor David Shapiro
“Greed was the engine that fueled his criminal enterprise.”
âAssistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Liang
“After what he did to Phyllis, I hated the fucker.”
âFrank Gangi
“When he talked, he sounded just like a girl.”
â
Lenny the pizza guy
“Three men could keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”
âSanto Trafficante, Tampa, Florida, Mafia boss
“Just say no.”
âNancy Reagan
Part I
Seeds
1
Sanctuary
2
Dark Secrets
3
It's Good to Know Karate
4
The Making of a Dragon Slayer
5
The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree
6
Cherry Blossoms and Samurai
7
The Bonannos
Part II
Killers Fear Him
8
The Green Hornet and the Bonannos
9
The Bonanno Vampire
10
The Perfect Storm
11
Armed, Dangerous, and Aggressive
12
Gravesend: The Cemetery
13
Buy and Bust
14
Pizza Two
15
Street Monkey
16
The Vampire of Avenue S
17
Surveillance
18
Phyllis
19
Three-Time Loser
20
Group 33
21
The Guvenaros
22
The Gravedigger
23
The Art of Walk-and-Talks
24
Happenstance
25
Party Girl
26
Speedballs
27
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
28
No Remorse, No Conscience, No Scruples
29
Fire-Breathing Dragon
30
The Loss of a Tentacle
31
The Body in the Alley
32
The Cleaner
33
“You're Not My Boss”
34
Dynamic Duo
35
Stick Shift
36
Willie Boy
37
The Garage
38
B & E
39
Rats
Part III
The Beat Goes On
40
The Cop Killer
41
Spider's Web
42
1â900-Fuck-Me
43
He's a Real Bad Dude
44
Day Trip
45
The Rock of Gibraltar
46
The Meatwagon
47
Lion's Share
48
DUI
49
Revelations
Part IV
Traumas and Trials
50
The William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge
51
Cheap Suitcases
52
The Execution of Tommy Karate Pitera
53
Tight-Lipped Pitera
54
The United States of America Versus Pitera
55
Yea or Nay
Â
In respectful memory of the DEA agents brought down in the war on drugs:
Â
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Everett Hatcher
Frank Tummillo
Thomas Devine
Enrique Camarena
Charles A. Wood
Stafford Beckett
Joseph Floyd
James T. Williams
James E. Brown
James R. Kerrigan
Spencer Stafford
Anker M. Bangs
Wilson M. Shee
Mansel R. Burrell
Hector Jordan
Gene A. Clifton
Richard Heath Jr.
Emir Benitez
Gerald Sawyer
Leslie S. Grosso
Larry D. Wallace
Octavio Gonzalez
Thomas J. Devine
Marcellus Ward
William Ramos
Raymond J. Statsny
Terry W. McNett
George M. Montoya
Paul S. Seema
Contained in this book are particularly unsettling crime-scene photos of Tommy Karate Pitera's victims. We realize the photos are horrible and shocking, but we feel the hardcore reality of exactly what Pitera did, the Mafia culture that begot him, is important for the reader to see and know and experience. Exclusively, the DEA provided author Philip Carlo with these photographs; they have never been given to any journalist before.
Here, now, we enter the macabre, bloody netherworld of Tommy Karate Pitera.
The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath
would not have been possible without the kind help and never-ending cooperation of ASAC Jim Hunt of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanks to his steel bear-trap memory and his willingness to sit down with me and my assistant, Kelsey Osgood, for endless hours, we were able to understand and portray this very complex, epic tale involving the war on drugsâthe Bonanno crime family on one side, and the DEA on the other, mortal enemies both. I came to believe that Jim Hunt is a real live heroâa man like him is one in a million. The agents who work under Jim, out on the streets with Jim, like him and respect him and told me they'd rather have Jim Hunt watching their backs than anyone else.
I wish to also express my heartfelt gratitude to Kelsey Osgood for her quick wit, sharp intelligence, her ready willingness to do whatever she was asked. Without Kelsey, this book would not have been possible. I also wish to thank Matt Bialer at Sanford Greenburger for his enthusiasm and encouragement, dedication and loyalty. Matt comes from the old school of literary agentsâhe truly cares for his clients, their work, and artistic sensibilities. My thanks to Matt Harper at HarperCollins for his constant good cheer and excellent editorial input. Many thanks also to my family, my parents, Dante and Nina Carlo, for understanding why I missed so many family functions. Also many thanks to my Los Angeles agent, Jerry Kalajian, for always being there,
for promptly returning phone calls, and for his guidance, experience, and friendship. My heartfelt gratitude to my wife, Laura Carlo, for her help and support, input and understanding, for her sitting down with me and line reading, out loud, this whole book. Also, my heartfelt thanks to Mike Kostrewa, for always being there, day and night. I would be remiss if I didn't thank the kind people at the Savoy Hotel, where much of this book was written: Carlos Mendes, Fernao Carvalho, Sergio Coniglio. Also, many thanks to Raf Pasquet and the wonderful, amazingly hospitable Boucher brothers, Michael and Perry. I would also like to thank the mean streets of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where I received most of my education, where I learned about the culture of La Cosa Nostraâits walk and talk, mind-set, bloody rhyme and rhythm.
THE GOOD GUYS
Agent Jim Hunt Pitera investigation case agent
Agent Tommy Geisel Jim Hunt's partner
Joe Hunt Jim's grandfather
James Hunt Sr. Jim's father, DEA agent
Bruce Travers Group 33 agent
Mike Agrifolio Group 33 agent
John Welch Group 33 agent
Dave Toracinta Group 33 agent
Jack Macready DEA ASAC
Ken Feldman Group 33 supervisor
Jon Wilson Group 33 agent
Eric Stangeby Group 33 agent
Violet Szeleczky Group 33 agent
Billy Fredricks ATF agent
William Tomasulo NYPD detective
George Terra NYPD detective
Matt O'Brian NYPD detective
Timmy MacDonald DEA agent
John McKenna DEA agent
Sergeant Martin Head of Canadian Mounties in Montreal
Sergeant MacDonald Head of Canadian Mounties in Toronto
David Shapiro Federal prosecutor
Fred Sandler Hunt's first DEA supervisor
Elisa Liang Federal prosecutor
Andrew Maloney U.S. attorney
Reena Raggi Judge
Mark Cohen Federal prosecutor
THE BAD GUYS
Tommy Pitera Bonanno family capo
Frank Gangi Pitera associate
Billy Bright Pitera associate, Gangi's partner in drug dealing
Shlomo Mendelsohn Israeli drug dealer, Pitera associate
Anthony “Bruno” Indelicato Bonanno family capo
Joseph Bonanno Former head of the Bonanno family
Anthony Spero Bonanno family underboss
Alphonse “Sonny Red” Indelicato Bonanno family capo, father of Bruno
John Gotti Gambino boss
Eddie Lino Gambino war captain
Frank Lino Bonanno capo, Pitera boss, Eddie's cousin
Angelo Favara Pitera associate
Judy Haimowitz Pitera associate
Arthur “Bopp” Guvenaro Gangi and Bright's drug-dealing associate
Louie “Bopp” Guvenaro Arthur's brother
Emmanuel Adamita Sicilian drug dealer
Talal Siksik Israeli drug dealer, Pitera associate
Moussa Aliyan Israeli drug dealer, Pitera associate
Joe “Dish” Senatore DEA informant
Richie David Pitera associate
Joey “Pizza” Tekulve Pitera associate
Vincent “Kojak” Giattino Pitera associate
Manny Maya Pitera associate
Frank Rubino Eddie Lino business associate
Lloyd Modell, aka Lorenzo Modica Pitera associate
Frank Martini Pitera associate
Carlos Acosta Colombian drug dealer
Fernando Aguilera Colombian drug dealer
Paul Castellano Former head of the Gambino family
Joe Butch Corrao Gambino underboss
Ross Gangi Genovese captain, Frank Gangi's cousin
Richard Leone Pitera associate
Solomon Stern Richard Leone associate
Hector Estrada Queens-based drug dealer
Vincenzo Lore Gambino and Bonanno associate, drug dealer, fugitive
Yves LeSalle, aka Gilles Canadian drug dealer, fugitive
John Gotti Jr. Son of John Gotti
Greg Reiter Gotti Jr. associate
Michael Harrigan Former Gotti Jr. associate
Mark Reiter Greg Reiter's father
Thomas Carbone Pitera associate
Michael Cassesse Pitera associate
Andrew Miciotta Pitera associate
Barbara Lambrose Tommy Pitera's girlfriend
Wilfred “Willie Johnson Boy Government informer
OTHERS
Phyllis Burdi Frank Gangi's girlfriend
Carol Boguski Tommy Pitera's wife
Celeste LiPari Tommy Pitera's common-law wife
Sophia Gangi Frank Gangi's wife
Patty Girl Scifo Pitera associate
Marek Kucharsky Polish boxer
Andy Jakakis Friend of Frank Gangi's
Joey Balzano Good looking drug user
Renee Lombardozzi Joey Balzano's girlfriend
Vinnie DeMarco DEA informer
Maria Polkowski DEA informer
Matthew Mari Criminal defense attorney
David Ruhnke Criminal defense attorney
Cheryl Mackell Criminal defense attorney