Stefano (Steve) LaSalle – Lucchese Family Underboss

He was said to be partially blind but devoted as he was to the Family, he was said to have commuted daily often by train by himself to the Bronx and Harlem as required of his exalted position. Other times, he was picked up by a personal driver.

Stefano (Steve) LaSalle was born in 1889 in Corleone, Sicily. He immigrated to the USA in 1896 and was naturalized in 1943. His true surname was “La Sala.”

LaSalle lived for many years on E. 107th Street in East Harlem. He later relocated to the Bronx. He had a brother named Vito who also became a member.

Stefano LaSalle

LaSalle was an original power at the very start of what was to become the Lucchese Family. Originally affiliated with the Morellos, mafia powers from his home in Corleone, Sicily who came to America, LaSalle helped form the mob “group” that would morph into the Reina mob and then the Gagliano/Lucchese Family.

In his youth, LaSalle was very active and starting in 1909, racked up arrests for currency counterfeiting, murder, and grand larceny.

It is said that by the 1930s he was a capo di decina. His brother Vito was a soldier in his regime. They stayed together, building up a large lottery network - the Italian lottery at first and then adding the NY numbers. They ran a major “policy bank” for many decades on behalf of the Family.

LaSalle also became a partner in several lathing companies, which was an industry the Family became dominant in. As one of the bosses in the Family, he shared in the monopolistic lathing and construction rackets the Lucchese mob came to dominate.

By the early 1940s, he became a partner in a dress factory, which would be his main business interest for many years.

Stefano LaSalle, Jack Dragna, and Tommy Lucchese. Photo credit J. Michael Niotta from his book The Los Angeles Sugar Ring

It is suspected that by 1951 or so, he was elevated to underboss by Family leader Gaetano Gagliano. It was a position he would hold through several administrations from Tommy Lucchese through Carmine Tramunti.

By the early 1960s, Steve had moved to Queens, living off Queens Blvd., in the Rego Park section. He was already in his mid-70s and in poor health.

He was said to be partially blind but devoted as he was to the Family, he was said to have commuted daily often by train by himself to the Bronx and Harlem as required of his exalted position. Other times, he was picked up by a personal driver.

He numbered among his friends, associates, and adversaries over the years virtually a who’s who of the NY underworld and, for that matter, the whole country:

• Giuseppe Morello • Ciro Terranova • Tommy Gagliano • Tommy Lucchese • Ettore Coco • Carmine Tramunti • Carlo Gambino • Lucky Luciano • Giuseppe Masseria • Salvatore Maranzano

Among the mob glitterati, he was also close to (Joe Brown) Lucchese and (Joe Palisades) Rosato, the capo brother and brother-in-law of Tommy Lucchese, both of whom lived locally in Malba and Jackson Heights respectively.

Photo courtesy: J. Michael Niotta

Stefano LaSalle was a highly respected “original” of the NY underworld. He was revered for his knowledge of the “life” - serving as underboss until 1972 - and was consulted after the death of Lucchese in 1967, helping with the smooth transition of power.

He passed away in 1975.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Stefano (Steve) LaSalle – Lucchese Family Underboss

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Stefano (Steve) LaSalle – Lucchese Family Underboss

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You May Also Enjoy

Gaetano (Guy) Tedesco – “The Welfare Recipient”

Tommy (Tommy Brown) Lucchese – Family Boss

Vincent (Jimmy Doyle) Plumeri – Lucchese Capo and Garment Center Racketeer

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