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.
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