number of Made guys in the Buffalo Family. Steve also spent years in prison because of the filed
armored car heist detailed in the novel Hide in plain sight. Steve was made into the LA Family during
the eighties when the Boss Peter "Shakes" Milano was trying to beef up the Family. I hear he was
inducted in a Palm Springs California hotel room.
Steve was more of a Bookmaker than a gangster. He was always a nice guy to be around. He as
taken down in Operation Rising Star by the FBI during the eighties. Then he was caught on tape
along with Gambino Capo Chris Richichi try to bribe a Union Rep in Las Vegas. Things never seemed
to get better for Steve since he was caught up in Operation Button Down and Operation Thin Crust
also by the FBI in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The FBI had an Informant John Bronco who also put
him behind the murder of Las Vegas Loan shark Fat Herbie Blitzstien. I think both Steve and
boyhood pal Bobby Panaro received a bad rap for there involvement in the murder. I was with Steve
before the murder during critical meetings and on the day of the murder, he did not meet with or give
any orders.
The rules of Cosa Nostra are clear that a Boss must approve of a hit and there is no way Shakes
Milano would approve the hit. I guess the jury did not buy John Bronco's story either because both
men were acquitted of the murder.
Steve is currently incarcerated with Colombo Capo Donnie "Shacks" in a Federal Penitentiary where
he lost more than a hundred pounds.
