04261992 - News Article - Three mobsters given prison sentences

Three mobsters given prison sentences
Times Staff Report
Apr 26, 1992
nwitimes.com/uncategorized/three-mobsters-given-prison-sentences/article_accad78f-bb47-5ab8-8c27-09f32fa7f816.html
HAMMOND - The largest investigation ever into area mob activity has resulted in three more men being sentenced to federal prison.

Sam M. "Frog" Glorioso, 50, of Gary; Peter "Cadillac Pete" Petros, 57, of Cicero; and Ned M. Pujo, 52, of Portage were all sentenced Friday in federal court by U.S. District Judge James T. Moody.

Glorioso, who had collected the mob's "street tax," received an 11-year sentence. He was found guilty of one count of racketeering, one count of racketeering conspiracy, five counts of extortion and one count of participating in an illegal gambling business.

Petros, a former Gary resident who collected extortion money for the crime syndicate, was sentenced to nine years and nine months. He was found guilty of one count of racketeering, one count of racketeering conspiracy and four counts of extortion.

Pujo, a gambling boss and owner of the Beer Barrel Restaurant and lounge in Merrillville, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $30,000. He had pleaded guilty to illegal gambling charges.

The men were among those indicted in late 1990 during a federal investigation into a gambling and extortion racket run for the Chicago "Outfit" organized crime family, which controlled gambling in the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana.

04251992 - News Article - Gamblers receive prison terms

Gamblers receive prison terms
Post-Tribune (IN)
April 25, 1992
infoweb.newsbank.com.proxy.portagelibrary.info/resources/doc/nb/news/1084EE8001ACC84C?p=AWNB
Three longtime area gamblers with ties to the crime syndicate, including a Ross Township tavern owner, were sentenced to prison Friday.

The three were among 15 defendants indicted in late 1990 as a result of the most massive investigation into the crime syndicate even in Northwest Indiana. Two of the three were convicted in August 1991. The third pleaded guilty.

U.S. District Judge James T. Moody sentenced Ned M. Pujo, 52, of Portage; Sam "Frog" Glorioso, 50, of Gary, and Peter "Cadillac Pete" Petros, 57, formerly of Gary.

Glorioso was sentenced for crimes committed before and after new federal sentencing guidelines took affect Nov. 1, 1987. He will have to serve more than six years of a sentence of about 11 years.

Glorioso was imprisoned upon conviction but was freed because of family medical problems. He must report to prison June 1.

Glorioso is a longtime area gambler and one of those who collected a street tax on gambling operations for the crime syndicate. He was a U.S. Steel employee at the time of his indictment.

Pujo, the owner of the Beer Barrel Restaurant and Lounge, 4717 E. Lincoln Highway, Ross Township, will have to serve about 15 months of his 18-month sentence under the new federal guidelines. He also was fined $30,000. Pujo ran a football and basketball parlay card operation.

Pujo pleaded to illegal gambling charges. In exchange for his plea, the U.S. attorney's office dismissed gambling charges against his wife, Yolande Pujo, 56. Pujo reports to prison June 1.

Petros was given about 10 years under the combined guidelines and will have to serve almost six years. He too is a longtime gambler and collector for the crime syndicate.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Thill asked Moody to impose substantial sentences. FBI special agents James Cziperle and Robert Hadrick headed the eight-year investigation.

Pujo and Glorioso said they were sorry for what they had done. Petros didn't address the court prior to sentencing.

The sentencing of Sam Nuzzo Jr., 46, of Merrillville, was continued until May 1. His sentencing was delayed when Moody questioned whether Nuzzo's culpability could be increased because he was considered a manager or organizer. Gary attorney Scott L. King, representing Nuzzo, said he wasn't prepared to argue that point Friday.

Nuzzo ran the area's largest sports betting operation. His father, Sam Nuzzo Sr.; his brother, Arthur Nuzzo, and his sisters, Sandra Mynes and Jennifer Kaufman, previously were sentenced to a year in prison for their roles in the betting operation.

Sentences
Sam Glorioso of Gary - 11 years
Ned M. Pugo of Portage - 18 months, $30,000 fine
Peter Petros, formerly of Gary - 10 years

04251992 - News Article - 2 Mob Underlings Get 10-year Prison Terms

2 Mob Underlings Get 10-year Prison Terms
Chicago Tribune
April 25, 1992
articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-04-25/news/9202060760_1_prison-sentences-district-judge-james-moody-mob"_prison-sentences-district-judge-james-moody-mob
Peter Petros was not a man to take no for an answer. Nor was Sam Glorioso, according to the FBI and trial testimony.

Together, they were collectors for a crew of mobsters immediately southeast of Chicago, and a visit from either one was itself an unspoken message: Pay a street tax or risk the consequences.

On Friday, Petros, 58, of Cicero, and Glorioso, 49, of Gary, convicted underlings of imprisoned Chicago Heights mob boss Dominick Palermo, received a message of their own from a federal judge: prison sentences of up to 10 years.

Each had been convicted by a jury of multiple extortion counts involving shakedowns of bookmakers and distributors of coin-operated gambling devices.

In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge James Moody in Hammond ruled that Petros and Glorioso had actively engaged in organized crime in northwest Indiana.

Petros, who insisted he was only ``doing favors for people,`` received a prison term of 9 years and 9 months. Evidence against him centered on threats to bomb or torch buildings in Lake County, Ind.

``He enjoyed being with the outfit,`` Assistant U.S. Atty. Michael Thill told Moody.

Glorioso, a veteran crane operater at a Gary steel mill, was sentenced to 10 years after apologizing for his crimes.

``I never intended to hurt anybody,`` he said. ``I am sorry for what I did, but I don`t think I am guilty of everything I did. I was stupid. My eyes are open now.``

Moody directed that Glorioso, whose wife and mother are seriously ill, remain with his family until he is to report to prison June 1.

A third defendant, Ned Pujo, 52, a gambling boss and operator of the Beer Barrel tavern in Merrillville, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was also fined $30,000 by Moody.

In addition to the testimony of victims of mob extortion, evidence in the case consisted of hundreds of hours of conversations recorded by the FBI at the Taste of Italy restaurant in Calumet City.

One bugging device, planted near a booth of the restaurant favored by Palermo, captured his voice on tape speaking of bribes to police.

Palermo was sentenced last month by Moody to 32 years behind bars and fined $250,000.