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| 1971 |
Stephen Ruggieri was an LCN affiliate, possibly with the Lucchese Family's Vario crew, active in auto theft and hijacking during the 1970s and 1980s.
Born October 21, 1934 in Brooklyn to Stefano (37y) and Mary Cavaliere (28y). Father from Palermo, Sicily.
By April 1940 the Ruggieris were living at 926 Pine St in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood. Stephen's father owned a fish business.
By April 1950 resided in Lincoln Hall Home for Boys located in Westchester County, New York.
By Fall 1970 resided at 107-12 Rockaway Blvd in South Ozone Park, Queens.
On December 1, 1970 among five arrested following Suffolk County LE raid on hijacking drop located inside warehouse on Long Island Ave in Holtsville, Long Island. Others arrested included Paul 'Pork Chop' Flammia (45y), described in press accounts as a Colombo Associate. Defendants charged with grand larceny, criminal receipt stolen property and robbery conspiracy. Ruggieri had been surveilled driving a hijacked load, worth about $370,000 in today's value, over to the warehouse shortly before the raid. (Paul Flammia [1925-1997], father from Frigento in Avellino, Campania, resided in Centereach, LI and previously served a term at Sing Sing Prison for robbery.)
On January 27, 1971 Suffolk County DA formally indicted Flammia, Ruggieri and ten others with various charges related to the hijacking case. Ruggieri and most of the other defendants were released on $20,000 bail each.
On March 21, 1971 arrested by NYPD Brooklyn on unspecified charge. (See top)
On March 14, 1972 FBI CI reported: "[Domenico] Cutaia aka Danny Cutaia is an associate of Paul Vario. Cutaia specializes in policy (runner) and is closely associated with Stephen Ruggieri who is a car thief who hangs around Gefkin's Bar and Bargain Auto Parts." (Paul Vario [1914-1988] was a Lucchese Captain and Cutaia an Associate in his crew. Both Gefkin's and Bargain Auto Parts were frequented by Vario crew members.)
On June 13, 1972 convicted along with Paul Flammia (47y) in Suffolk County hijacking case. Long Island Newsday reported: "[ADA] said Flammia, an associate of the Joe Colombo crime family, was the ringleader of a group that specialized in hijacking trucks."
The following month sentenced to seven years in New York State prison. Long Island Newsday reported: "'This court is in no way satisfied that you're ever going to straighten yourself out,' County Court Judge Gordon M. Lipetz said before sentencing [Ruggieri, who] is presently serving a five-year sentence in the federal penitentiary at Lewisburg...[In addition last] week he pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property in connection with an earlier hijacking. 'This is strictly an organized crime operation,' [ADA] told the court before sentencing."
By 1980s resided on 80th St in Howard Beach, Queens.
On September 10, 1987 arrested on CPSP charge following NYPD raid on Al-Fred Auto Salvage located at 1440 Ralph Ave in Canarsie, Brooklyn. Long Island Newsday, noting this was the eighth law enforcement raid on the location and Ruggieri's fifth arrest there, reported: "'So large, so many cars,' a police auto crime spokesman who did not want to be named, said of Thursday's raid. 'Everywhere we looked, we found something that wasn't right -- major component parts with the identification obliterated, a sea of bumpers and doors and motors...[Operation] was at least a $2.5-million-a-year chop shop responsible for stealing and cutting up about one car a day. Police identified nine luxury cars and parts of eight others before they gave up, the spokesman said."
Born October 21, 1934 in Brooklyn to Stefano (37y) and Mary Cavaliere (28y). Father from Palermo, Sicily.
By April 1940 the Ruggieris were living at 926 Pine St in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood. Stephen's father owned a fish business.
By April 1950 resided in Lincoln Hall Home for Boys located in Westchester County, New York.
By Fall 1970 resided at 107-12 Rockaway Blvd in South Ozone Park, Queens.
On December 1, 1970 among five arrested following Suffolk County LE raid on hijacking drop located inside warehouse on Long Island Ave in Holtsville, Long Island. Others arrested included Paul 'Pork Chop' Flammia (45y), described in press accounts as a Colombo Associate. Defendants charged with grand larceny, criminal receipt stolen property and robbery conspiracy. Ruggieri had been surveilled driving a hijacked load, worth about $370,000 in today's value, over to the warehouse shortly before the raid. (Paul Flammia [1925-1997], father from Frigento in Avellino, Campania, resided in Centereach, LI and previously served a term at Sing Sing Prison for robbery.)
On January 27, 1971 Suffolk County DA formally indicted Flammia, Ruggieri and ten others with various charges related to the hijacking case. Ruggieri and most of the other defendants were released on $20,000 bail each.
On March 21, 1971 arrested by NYPD Brooklyn on unspecified charge. (See top)
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| P. Vario (L) and D. Cutaia Cutaia Photo: Gang Land News |
On June 13, 1972 convicted along with Paul Flammia (47y) in Suffolk County hijacking case. Long Island Newsday reported: "[ADA] said Flammia, an associate of the Joe Colombo crime family, was the ringleader of a group that specialized in hijacking trucks."
The following month sentenced to seven years in New York State prison. Long Island Newsday reported: "'This court is in no way satisfied that you're ever going to straighten yourself out,' County Court Judge Gordon M. Lipetz said before sentencing [Ruggieri, who] is presently serving a five-year sentence in the federal penitentiary at Lewisburg...[In addition last] week he pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property in connection with an earlier hijacking. 'This is strictly an organized crime operation,' [ADA] told the court before sentencing."
By 1980s resided on 80th St in Howard Beach, Queens.
On September 10, 1987 arrested on CPSP charge following NYPD raid on Al-Fred Auto Salvage located at 1440 Ralph Ave in Canarsie, Brooklyn. Long Island Newsday, noting this was the eighth law enforcement raid on the location and Ruggieri's fifth arrest there, reported: "'So large, so many cars,' a police auto crime spokesman who did not want to be named, said of Thursday's raid. 'Everywhere we looked, we found something that wasn't right -- major component parts with the identification obliterated, a sea of bumpers and doors and motors...[Operation] was at least a $2.5-million-a-year chop shop responsible for stealing and cutting up about one car a day. Police identified nine luxury cars and parts of eight others before they gave up, the spokesman said."
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| C. Agnello |
On June 2, 1989 among 13 indicted by Queens District Attorney's Office on auto theft charges following a months-long undercover investigation of local chop shops. Others indicted included brothers Joseph and Michael Agnello as well as Michael DeLuca. Long Island Newsday reported: "Police also seized records at four auto salvage companies in Queens, and another in Brooklyn...[Undercover Auto Crime Division officers] bought parts from cars that police believe had recently been stolen and 'chopped up'...The five auto salvage companies where records were seized yesterday are: A&G Auto Dismantlers and Metro Auto Salvage, both in Ridgewood; A&L Reliable Used Auto Parts, in Jamaica; Jamaica Auto Salvage II, Flushing; and Al-Fred Auto Salvage, in Canarsie." Ruggieri subsequently pleaded guilty to reduced charges and allowed to serve sentence on weekends. (Michael DeLuca may be identical to the Genovese Associate of the same name who was affiliated with Ciro Perrone's Queens crew as of the 2000s. Joseph and Michael Agnello were brothers of Carmine Agnello, Future Gambino Member and son-in-law Family Boss John Gotti. Michael Agnello's May 2006 wake was attended by, among others, Gambino Captains Alphonse Trucchio and Bartolomeo 'Pepe' Vernace as well as Gambino Soldier Michael Roccaforte.)
On May 21, 1990 robbed of approximately $30,000 in cash and jewelry at his Howard Beach residence. New York Daily News, describing Ruggieri as 'a reputed John Gotti henchman', reported: "[Ruggieri] answered a knock at his front door at 5:30 p.m. Two men in civilian clothes produced realistic-looking police shields and told Ruggieri they were investigating a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood. When the men were allowed inside the home, one pulled a silver-plated revolver and put it to Ruggieri's head [and restrained him]...[Detective] said Ruggieri is high on a department list of the top 100 dealers in stolen auto parts."
Died May 26, 1993.
On May 21, 1990 robbed of approximately $30,000 in cash and jewelry at his Howard Beach residence. New York Daily News, describing Ruggieri as 'a reputed John Gotti henchman', reported: "[Ruggieri] answered a knock at his front door at 5:30 p.m. Two men in civilian clothes produced realistic-looking police shields and told Ruggieri they were investigating a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood. When the men were allowed inside the home, one pulled a silver-plated revolver and put it to Ruggieri's head [and restrained him]...[Detective] said Ruggieri is high on a department list of the top 100 dealers in stolen auto parts."
Died May 26, 1993.
More Lucchese Family posts can be found in the Index.
