The Pueblo/Denver, Colorado “Family” of Cosa Nostra

The countrified, wide-open, rural state of Colorado seems like a very unlikely place to find members of the dreaded Sicilian Mafia, but sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction. The very thought of Italian-speaking gangsters wearing fedoras and sharkskin suits, carrying Tommy-Guns in violin cases seems strangely out of place in this Rocky Mountain territory.

Cowboy boots and ten-gallon hats seem more appropriate. Yet, that is exactly what took place and developed here… The Sicilian Brotherhood came to town.

Note: For more information and a pictorial hierarchy chart on the Denver Mafia Family, please see The Colletti Family Leadership Chart .

Well, maybe not exactly the whole “Tommy-Gun in violin case” part, but by and large, the men of Cosa Nostra did in fact come to call the northern city of Denver home for many decades. And for that matter the neighboring cities of Pueblo and Trinidad as well.

The state of Colorado was divided as follows:

The “Little Italy” section of North Denver was initially ruled by an underworld boss named Giuseppe (Joe) Roma. He was an old “Mustache Pete” who controlled the rackets until his execution in 1933.

From that moment forward, the Smaldone brothers, Clyde (Flip-Flop), Eugene (Checkers), and Clarence (Chauncey) took over control of the Denver underworld. Together with various blood family and a small crew of loyal associates, the Smaldone crew ran Denver as well as its adjoining territories which included Adams and Jefferson Counties for the Colorado borgata for upwards of 40 years.

The southern city of Pueblo was governed by a Sicilian-born, Family boss named Vincenzo (Black Jim) Colletti . He rose to power in the 1930s as the “Capo” over the entire state of Colorado after the gangland-slayings of the Carlino brothers who were previously viewed as the leaders.

Colletti ruled for almost 30 years. He was assisted by his trusted aides Calogero (Charlie) Blanda , Joseph (Scotty) Spinuzzi, and Vincenzo (Jimmy) Spinelli.

Vincenzo (Black Jim) Colletti.

Lastly, the city of Trinidad was run by their consigliere John Pricco, capo Rosario (Robert) Dionisio, his brother Joe Dionisio, and a small regime of loyal members and associates.

Although Colorado is not known for hosting a large Italian populous, during those early decades of Italian immigration to the United States, between the years 1890 and 1920, Colorado did see an uptick in Southern Italians that made their way toward the Rockies.

This was part of a larger Italian-Sicilian migration to the midwest and west coast by fellow “amici,” some of whom were drawn to Colorado by the prospect of available work opportunities in various mining towns that attracted Italian immigrants seeking work in the mines. It was a vocation and work that they had been familiar with back in Italy and Sicily. Another big draw was Colorado’s fresh air, and its clean, wide-open spaces.

In time, several small fledgling colonies of Calabrian and Sicilian families would develop the area. And although their numbers would never accumulate and expand into large Little Italy-styled neighborhoods that existed in Chicago, Detroit, or even Kansas City, the Italians became a significant enough presence that the territory caught the Mafia’s eye as well.

Typically, wherever large Italian colonies developed, the Sicilian “Brotherhood” and Camorra followed.

They stuck amongst their own and struck among their own. Especially in those early days of immigration when there were few English-speaking Italian immigrants among them. It became an insular community that was ripe for the pickings by early Black Hand extortion gangs that popped up within these immigrant neighborhoods.

Called “La Mano Nero” in Italian, these black hand gangs shook down their own people knowing that most of these immigrants would never call the American police, out of a distrust of governmental authority and a fear of the Black Hand.

Mob historians say that among the first mafiosi to lay claim to the area was Pellegrino Scalia, Pietro (Pete) and Salvatore (Sam) Carlino, and Giuseppe (Little Caesar) Roma.

Starting as extortionists, counterfeiters, and thieves, they quickly established themselves as bootleggers in 1920 once the Volstead Law was enacted which prohibited the manufacture, possession, transportation, or sale of any alcoholic beverages.

The following decade became a racketeer paradise, with competing gangsters and hoodlums all vying for the enormous profits generated by bootlegging.

Side Note: Actually, in the state of Colorado, alcohol became illegal on January 1, 1916. They were at the forefront of this prohibition, four years before the national Prohibition law - The Volstead Act - was enacted in 1920.

With the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Colorado’s underworld turned their attention to expanding various gambling rackets. Within less than a decade, organized crime tied up multimillion-dollar gambling operations coast to coast. Colorado’s wiseguys didn’t miss a beat either.

By the early 1950s, Charlie Blanda and “Black Jim” Colletti had risen to become among the top Mafia figures in the state.

They based operations out of the Pueblo area with a small group of inducted mafiosi and associates that included such hoodlums as Joseph (Scotty) Spinuzzi and Robert Dionisio. They controlled organized crime in the southern cities of Pueblo and Trinidad, and the towns of Walsenburg and Aguillar. The Colorado Family also conducted operations in the city of Boulder.

Meanwhile, the Smaldone brothers, with several of their relatives and associates rose to power in the mid-1930s. They took control of mob operations in the City of Denver after killing off a few rivals. Starting out as alcohol bootleggers, they also ran an organized car-theft ring and committed the occasional heist.

In 1947, they opened a near-iconic family-run eatery they named Gaetano’s Restaurant, located on Tejon Street in the Little Italy section of Denver. From that point forward, Gaetano’s would become the recognized headquarters from which the Smaldones ran their gambling racket operations from.

They ran horse and sports bookmaking, lottery numbers, Barbut games, floating dice, and card games, and reportedly placed several hundred slot machines throughout their Denver community. The brothers also reportedly operated a loan shark business for unlucky gamblers.

Collectively, between old-time mafioso Black Jim Colletti, his underboss Charlie Blanda, and the Smaldone brothers, the Rocky Mountain Mafia had a pretty good “lock” over the state’s organized rackets.

They were also known to work together on occasion with members of the Los Angeles Family, the Chicago Outfit, including Felix (Milwaukee Phil) Alderisio, Luigi (Lew Farrell) Fratto, and his brother Frank Fratto in gambling and trafficking narcotics.

A former top labor racketeer, “Lew Farrell” had relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, years earlier but maintained his underworld standing.

The Smaldones were known to get their daily “betting line” out of Iowa. They also regularly utilized a bookmaking “lay-off” service through Iowa gambling figure Johnny Salanitro whenever they were hit heavy on a particular sports game or horse-race.

Other associates of the Colorado mob included several mafiosi out of Omaha, Nebraska. Brothers Tony, Benny, Louie and Sam Biase, and their associate Bernard (Benny the Blimp) Barone were among the top racketeers in that area of the country.

Utilizing Cosa Nostra’s international tentacles, the Colorado mob also worked in concert with their “brothers in blood” from other cities and abroad in the wholesale purchase of kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine, which they brought into the state for distribution through their non-Italian criminal associates.

Overall, I’d estimate that there were very few actual “inducted” mafia members within their local borgata and network. It seems like it was a small, somewhat splintered borgata of several semi-autonomous crews who most likely worked under one central umbrella.

I do not think it’s an underestimate to say that this Family probably numbered no more than possibly 20 full-fledged, inducted Mafia members at their peak.

The following list represents the most prominent of those members based in the State of Colorado during the 1950s thru 1970s period. Many of these men were documented as Mafia members by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN), the precursor to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Coupled with intelligence gathered by the FBI, these 9 men were the recognized powers of the Colorado Family.

The tenth man listed was indeed a mystery man. The highly respected Wyoming State Senator Louis Boschetto was repeatedly accused of being a mafioso himself. Let's take a look at them, shall we?

Vincenzo (Black Jim) Colletti

aka “James Colletti” FBI # 761291C, Denver-PD # 66949

Colletti was born on October 3, 1897, in Lucca Sicula, Sicily. And after immigrating to the U.S., he was naturalized in NYC in 1920. He was married four times and lived with his last wife at 1415 Carteret Street, Pueblo, CO.

This man was considered to be the “Boss” of Colorado. All others served under his rule. He attended the November 1957 Mafia conference at Upstate Apalachin, NY. Said to control all organized gambling in the state, and to have been deeply engaged in the smuggling and distribution of heroin he received from his close associate, NYC boss Joseph Bonanno.

In fact, Colletti and Bonanno were so close that at one time federal authorities believed Colletti to be a soldier of the Bonanno Family of NY. Colletti is even listed as such on the 1963 Valachi chart of the Bonanno Family along with another Colorado member named Rosario Dionisio.

His arrest record started in 1933 and included minor arrests for disorderly conduct, intoxication, and vagrancy. He formerly owned bars and a liquor store, until later purchasing a partnership in the Colorado Cheese Co., Trinidad. This company had Bonanno as a partner as well. Colletti also owned the Sante Fe Fruit Market in Pueblo. Close associates of Colletti included the aforementioned Bonanno, his underboss Frank Garofalo, soldiers Giuseppe Spadaro, Anthony Valenti, and Colorado capo Joseph Spinuzzi.

Calogero Vincenzo (Charlie) Blanda

aka “Joe Manito””Charles Blando” FBI # 379778, Denver-PD # 14562

Blanda was born on November 2, 1899, in Amesville, Iowa. He resided for years with his wife Cora and son at 1104 Carteret Street, Pueblo. This address was a few doors down from his boss Colletti who lived at # 1415 Carteret.

Blanda was considered to be the “second in command” or underboss to Colletti. His record starts in 1915 and includes burglary (4 times), grand larceny (twice), and income tax evasion. He reputedly held ownership interests in Spinuzzi Brothers Plumbing Co.; Jiffy Car Wash; and the Five Queens Night Club. He and his wife Cora also owned and operated the popular Holiday Inn Restaurant & Tavern, all of these businesses were located in Pueblo.

Named among his closest associates were Pueblo-based members “Black Jim” Colletti, Joe Spinuzzi, Frank Mazza, Robert Dionisio, and Paul Incarto. He also steadily interacted with Denver-based mob figures Jimmy Spinelli, Joe Salardino, and Clyde and Eugene Smaldone…. Each man being a member of their borgata.

Rosario Vito Dionisio

aka “Robert (Bobby) Dionisio” FBI # 4445105, Colorado-SP # 20822

This man was born on December 13, 1894, in Lucca Sicula, Sicily. He was naturalized in Trinidad in 1921. After getting married in Wyoming to Nina in 1916, they had five children together and later relocated to 1002 Arizona Street, Trinidad.

His police record started in 1938 and included a conviction for “obtaining money under false pretenses” for which he was sentenced to a 3-5 year term in Colorado State Prison. Dionisio was considered to be “on par” with Colletti as far as mafia influence went. He may have served as the consigliere of this network. Certainly, his voice was important in Colorado mafia affairs.

Dionisio was another name misidentified as a Bonanno Family member on the 1963 Valachi charts. This may have been because of his former ownership in the Colorado Cheese Company, a firm connected to Bonanno and Colletti. He was an intimate of Bonanno and his underboss Frank Garofalo, as well as, Vincenzo Colletti, Nick Bisulco, James Spinelli, Joe (Ram) Salardino and the Smaldone brothers.

Frank (Blackie) Mazza

aka “Tony Garrome” FBI # 314757, Denver-PD # 13085

He was born on January 11, 1912, in Denver. He and his wife Martha (nee’ Narajo) had three children and resided at 2835 Vallejo Street, Denver.

He had a lengthy record dating to 1928 for bootlegging, burglary, truck hijacking, armed robbery, and income-tax evasion. He listed employment as a laborer with the Webb & Knapp Company. But in truth, Mazza served as a strong-arm enforcer and suspected killer for Jimmy Colletti and the Smaldone brothers. Mazza had a reputation as a “tough guy” among Denver’s Italian element.

Close associates included Colletti, Charlie Blanda, and the Smaldones.

Joseph (Ram) Salardino

aka “Joe Saladino” FBI # 294130, Denver-PD # 23154

He was born on July 5, 1905, down in Monroe, Louisiana. He relocated to Colorado and married Rose (nee’ Cellino) and they had one son. They resided at 2430 West 41st Avenue, Denver. He had several arrests for alcohol bootlegging, and armed robbery but had no felony convictions. He was considered the “overseer” of gambling and shylocking operations in Denver during the time both Smaldone brothers were serving 12-year long prison sentences.

Salardino was considered an important mafia member who also controlled several jukebox-vending machine companies in Denver on behalf of the Family. He was also a partner in the notorious Five-Queens Nightclub along with Joseph (Scotty) Spinuzzi. Other associates included James Colletti, Robert Dionisio, Clyde and Eugene Smaldone.

Clyde (Flip-Flop) Smaldone

aka “Clyde Duane” FBI # 672372, Denver-PD # 9333

He was born on August 27, 1906, in Denver. Of all the varied Colorado mafiosi highlighted over the years, arguably Flip-Flop and his brothers became the best known as far as the public went. He and his brothers Eugene (Checkers) and Clarence (Chauncey) as well as their relatives would rise to power and rule over organized crime in the city for over five decades, with Clyde viewed as the overall “boss.”

He married a woman named Mildred, and they had two children. They resided for years at 3042 West 41st Avenue, Denver.

His record started in 1919, and listed such offenses as violation of the National Prohibition Act (bootlegging), truck hijacking, murder, assault, grand larceny, and gambling. In 1955, he received 12 years in federal prison for “Obstruction of Justice.” He and his brother Eugene started out as bootleggers in the 1920s, working with the father Ralph. After Prohibition, they turned to the gambling rackets and by the late 1940s, they were said to control all organized gambling in Denver….they allegedly dropped a few bodies dropped along the way.

In 1947, the Smaldone family opened up the popular Gaetano’s Italian Restaurant. From that point forward, Gaetano’s served as their headquarters. They operated a large illegal-gambling casino called the Northside Political Club, located at 3700 Navajo Street in Denver that was raided by police in 1968. It offered Barbut, Craps, Blackjack, and Roulette, among other games of chance.

Associates of his included his boss Vincenzo Colletti, underboss Charlie Blanda, consigliere Robert Dionisio, and top members Joe Salardino, Joe Spinuzzi, Jimmy Spinelli, and a notorious Los Angeles hoodlum named Joe Sica. “Flip-Flop” Smaldone was the recognized “capo regime” of the Denver crew for many years.

Eugene (Checkers) Smaldone

aka “Mike Villano” FBI # 539866, Denver-PD # B-2833

He was born on July 8, 1910, in Denver. The younger brother and full partner of Clyde. He married a local girl named Frances and they had one son. They resided several blocks away from Clyde at 3314 West 37th Avenue, Denver. Along with his brother Clyde, and later, younger brother Clarence and their cousins controlled bootlegging and gambling operations in Denver.

His criminal record started in 1926 for bootlegging. Additional arrests included 1933 for Prohibition Act, 1937 for “bombing (7-10 years in prison), 1954 jury tampering (12 years in Leavenworth), assault, gambling, murder, concealed weapons, and grand larceny, contempt of court (4 months in jail), possession of loanshark records and usury conspiracy.

Although both brothers were considered “capable,” at a solid 200 pounds, Checkers was considered more the strong-arm among the brothers. In later years, he was listed as a partner with his family in Gaetano’s Restaurant.

Criminal associates included all top members of the Colorado “Family.” With his brother's imprisonment, Checkers was named a “Capo” over the Denver area in place of his brother Clyde. He was the “street” overseer of the Smaldone crew’s bookmaking and loan shark business.

Vincenzo (Jimmy) Spinelli

aka “James Spinelli” “Jimmy Spinella” FBI # 73132, Denver-PD # 7661

He was born on April 3, 1895, in the town of Vena Maida, in Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy. He was naturalized at Houston, Texas, in 1918. After marrying Irene (nee’ Walker) and having two sons, they resided at 4501 West 34th Street, Denver.

Spinelli was considered an old-time enforcer for the brotherhood. During his early years he was the prime suspect in numerous killings. He became a top leader in the Colorado Family, along with Colletti, Blanda, and Dionisio, and was considered one of the controlling figures of gambling in the state.

Since 1921, his record included numerous arrests for murder investigations, bootlegging, carrying concealed weapons, reckless driving, and federal narcotics violations (twice). He owned the Circus Bar, at 5400 Morrison Road, in Denver.

Associates included Jim Colletti, Joe Spinuzzi, Robert Dionisio, Jerry Raso, the Smaldone brothers, and Joseph Sica of Los Angeles, California. Spinelli was believed to be deeply engaged in narcotics trafficking for many years with fellow mafiosi, as clearly evidenced by his arrest record.

Joseph (Scotty) Spinuzzi

aka “Joseph James Spinuzzi” (TN) “Joe Marco” FBI # 940085, Colorado State Prison # 20258

He was born on January 19, 1909, in Pueblo. He was married to Frances (nee’ Clementi), and had one son. He resided for years at 2139 East Orman Street, Pueblo. He was considered a close aide to boss Colletti and oversaw gambling and other rackets in the city of Pueblo for the Family.

Spinuzzi was eventually suspected to have risen to a capo post, and in later years to the “acting boss” position. Criminal arrest record starts in 1931 and lists: Prohibition violations, criminally receiving stolen goods, safe-cracking, burglary, and extortion. He was listed at the owner of the Coffee Pot Cafe in Pueblo, and was a partner in the Five-Queens Nightclub with “Ram” Salardino.

Other associates included James Colletti, Robert Dionisio, Jimmy Spinelli, and the Smaldones. Federal drug agents reported in 1953 that Spinuzzi tried his hand at the narcotics traffic, but discontinued this activity after he was unsuccessful at distribution.

By the early 1960s, Spinuzzi was considered the liaison of the Denver faction into the “Family” based in Pueblo. He received a “piece” of all gambling-shylock operations on behalf of Colletti and the hierarchy.

He ran a large-stakes Barbut game several times a week in Pueblo that Charlie Blanda and Checkers Smaldone were partners in. Checkers allegedly supplied the bankroll for shylock loans at this game, at a 5% weekly vigorish rate.

Louis (Louie) Boschetto

aka “Luigi Boschetto” (TN)

He was born on September 23, 1898, in Bescine, Italy, before immigrating at the age of 23 years old from Genoa, Italy, to the U.S. with his family in 1921. He was naturalized in 1927. He and his wife and children lived at 232 Pilot Butte Avenue, Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Starting out as the owner-operator of a tailoring shop, he later expanded into the motel business. This man became a very successful businessman as the owner of Rose’s Court Motel, and later the El Rancho Motel, both in Rock Springs. He later involved himself in local civic organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Associated Police Pension Fund, and National Motel Operators Association.

He became known as a philanthropist and a renowned member of his local community and later decided to go into local politics. He was first elected to the Wyoming State Legislature in the late 1940s where he served 2-terms in office. He later ran for higher office and was eventually elected to the United States Senate, where Senator Louis Boschetto served one 4-year term during the late 1950s-early 1960s.

But along with all these impressive accomplishments, one of the most interesting, but little known things was that it has been repeatedly alleged over the years by several reliable federal informants (and unofficially by the FBI) that simultaneously to his public service as a top politician, Boschetto was in fact a formally “inducted” mafia soldier.

The FBI repeatedly investigated these claims but treaded lightly considering Boshetto’s high standing in the political arena and his community…. This was at a time, and in an era that Cosa Nostra, or “The Honored Society,” was indeed a monolithic presence in America.

Was it true? Was it false? You be the judge of that. But if in fact, he was not an “official” mafia soldier, then he was at the very least a mob “associate” and an intimate of the top hierarchy of the Colorado borgata.

The following list is believed to represent most of their known members and significant criminal associates over an 70 year period, from 1920 through approximately 1990. We listed their earliest known leaders, right on down through their known criminal associates.

The North Denver/Pueblo-Trinidad Family was thought to have been active in Denver and Adam’s Counties, and the Central City area. The remaining names were mostly gambling operatives and “associates” of the group.

The original “Black Hand” styled extortion gangs operating the territory would later give way to the men who became the founders of the Colorado “Family.”

the first membership was thought to have been developed over a period of approximately a decade by the following mafiosi: Pellegrino Scaglia, Giuseppe (Little Caesar) Roma, Pietro (Peter) Carlino, his brother Salvatore (Sam) Carlino, and Vincenzo Chiapetta. They became the first “Capos” of this Cosa Nostra borgata.

There was a period of underworld instability that saw several killings before the smoke cleared and a firm hierarchy was put in place. But waiting in the wings to assume power were the men who would truly leave a lasting mark on this Mafia network.

What follows is a 70-year hierarchical flow chart for the known membership of the Colorado Family. Their activities generally encompassed the Cities of Pueblo, Trinidad, and Denver. But they also operated in the peripheral territories surrounding these major cities.

Side Note: The actual hierarchy positions are an educated guess at best. Very little solid intelligence was ever developed about Colorado. The result was that the FBI made educated guesses as to the status of given mafiosi and racketeers.

Some of gangland’s murder victims over the years, included:

Pellegrino Scaglia - 1922

Dominick Inglo - 1922

John Danna - 1925

Pete and Tony Danna - 1926

Sam Danna - 1930

Pete Carlino’s (home bombed) 1931

Salvatore Carlino - 1931

Joseph Colletti (wounded) 1931

L. Baldassare (wounded) 1931

Petro Carlino - 1931

Vincenzo Mortellaro - 1932

Augie Marino - 1933

Giuseppe Roma - 1933

John Pacello - 1933

Leo Barnes (blown up) 1936

Michael Falbo - 1948

Robert (Walkie-Talkie) Robbins - 1963 (Rat)

John LaGuardia - 1973

Pauline Smaldone (wounded) 1973

Ralph Pizzalato - 1973

Samuel Foderaro - 1980

End Note: The majority of mafia members that formed this early group hailed from several distinct regions in Sicily. Among the more popular towns and villages members were born in were Lucca Sicula, Palermo, and Poggioreale. There was another small contingent of members that hailed from the Southern Italian region of Reggio, Calabria. Collectively these men were the Denver/Pueblo “borgata.”

Until next time...”The Other Guy!”

The Pueblo/Denver, Colorado “Family” of Cosa Nostra

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