Modesto (Murph) Loquasto – aka Murphy, Modeste Loquasto, Modesto LoQuastro – was born in Northeastern Pennsylvania, in the town of Pittston, on September 23, 1911.
FBI #389359, PA-State Police #B-2444
Police files describe Modesto Loquasto as 5-feet 6-inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds with a medium build. He had a full head of dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a dark olive complexion.
He married a local, non-Italian girl named Angeline (nee’ Leedock), and they raised a family that eventually grew to three children. Loquasto and his wife and kids resided at 372 S. Main Street in the heart of Pittston.
Over the years, he listed employment as a bartender and as the manager and co-owner of a local pool hall.
He also ran a parking-lot business for several years along Pittston’s business district.
Loquasto was also a frequent visitor to the Medico Electric Motor Company, 11 Tompkins Street, Pittston. This business was a multimillion-dollar contracting firm headed by the Medico brothers, all of whom were affiliated with the Mafia to one degree or another.
Since Murph Loquasto was born and raised in Pittston, it’s always where he would conduct the majority of his criminal activities.
He started his police arrest record at the age of eighteen after getting picked up in a stolen car.
Over the next forty years, he would rack up arrests for auto theft, grand larceny, robbery, disorderly conduct, promoting gambling, bookmaking, violating the Mann Act, armed robbery, assault and battery, vagrancy, and liquor bootlegging (operating alcohol stills).
Police authorities say that during the 1940s he served as Pittston capo/underboss Rosario (Russ) Bufalino’s personal driver and bodyguard.
They also say that Loquasto always had the reputation of a Mafia strong-arm man who handled “dirty work.” He was listed as an FBI “documented” soldier of the Pittston Family.
Aside from Russ Bufalino himself, other mafiosi he was known to associate with included former Pittston boss Santo Volpe Sr., Family capos Angelo (Sandy) Sciandra, Vincenzo (Dave Osticco) Sticco, Dominick (Nicky) Alaimo, Burgio (Billy) Medico, Angelo Polizzi, and fellow soldiers Samuel (Swimmy) DeBella and Casper (Cappy) Guimento.
After many years of service to the Pittston Family as a devoted soldier, Modesto (Murph) Loquasto died at the young age of only fifty-five years old, in 1966.
–Until next time…”The Other Guy”
