“A Good Guy?”: The Life and Death of Salvatore “Sammy G” Gingello (October 24, 1939-April 23, 1978)

The young nun was preparing a student for the Catholic sacrament of Confirmation. As the conversation was winding down, she asked her charge, “Finally, dear, who is going to be your sponsor?” The child replied: “Uncle Sammy.” The good sister looked aghast at her charge: “Oh, no child. That can’t be.” The child tried to reassure her: “It’s okay, sister. He’s really a good guy.”

The nun got her way in the end as she convinced the boy to look elsewhere for sponsorship. As it happens, the “Uncle Sammy” in question was Salvatore “Sammy G” Gingello, the underboss of the Rochester mob, whose later death following a car bomb explosion is still a topic of discussion. This post is an account of those terrible events for those too young to remember and those who did not live here when they occurred.

Salvatore “Sammy G” Gingello (1939-1978)
From: Democrat and Chronicle, April 24, 1978

Salvatore Gingello was the son of Vincenzo “James” Gingello (October 7, 1911-February 5, 1984) and his wife Angela M. Latore (January 5, 1915-May 13, 1997). James’ father, Antonio “Anthony” Gingello,  was the first member of the family to immigrate to the United States, arriving in 1910; James’ mother, Gaetanna “Ida” Gingello, followed in 1914, along with young James and his infant sister Phillipa.

James Gingello wed Angela Latore on September 20, 1933 in Bergen (Genesee County) and found work as a laborer at a Rochester garbage disposal facility. With Angela he had three children: Anthony M. Gingello (May 12, 1934-July 21, 2018); Salvatore F. Gingello (October 24, 1939-April 23, 1978); and James P. Gingello (November 30, 1937-March 26, 1969).

Following his forebears’ footsteps, Salvatore anglicized his first name. His family called him “Sonny,” while his friends called him “Sammy.” Although remembered as a gangster, Sammy Gingello had various legitimate occupations as well, most of them involving transportation.

The first job of which we have any record is as an assembler for the Atlantic Stamping Company in 1957 (when he was 18 years old). Two years later, he was listed in the city directory as a “chauffeur” for John’s Paint and Body Shop. This most likely signified that he was a driver of the company truck.

His working life is missing from the 1960s (for reasons that will be discussed), but he reappears in the city directories in 1970 and is identified as an “employee” of the Grinnell Travel Agency (located  in Midtown Plaza). The following year he is identified as a “driver,” though it is not specified for whom. By 1974, he owned his own business, the Samjon Trucking Corporation, with John Fiorino, an associate in the Valenti organization, and later vice-president of Teamsters Local 398. The advertisement below describes their services.

Advertisement for Samjon Trucking Corporation, Gingello’s business.
From: Rochester Telephone Directory, 1976

It is through his involvement in organized crime, rather than his entrepreneurial efforts that Sammy G is remembered, however. His mentor was Frank J. Valenti (September 14, 1911-September 20, 2008), the Pittsburgh-born member of the Bonnano crime family of New York City and the head of organized crime in Rochester from 1964 to 1972.

Valenti’s organization supervised gambling, prostitution, and extortion rackets. While working for Valenti during the 1960s, Gingello was arrested numerous times, on charges ranging from disorderly conduct, gambling, arson, bombing, and domestic abuse. By 1972, Gingello, along with associates Samuel “Red” Russotti and Rene Piccarretto, forced Valenti into retirement through the murder of his bodyguard, Dominic Chirico.

Sammy Gingello came to public prominence when he was arrested for the 1973 murder of Vincent “Jimmy the Hammer” Massaro. Gingello was arrested along with Russotti, Piccarretto, Richard J. Marino, and Thomas E. Marotta. All were found guilty and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison; however, they were released 15 months later when it was uncovered that law enforcement officers had fabricated evidence and lied under oath at their trial.

While Sammy and his colleagues were incarcerated, new members of the organization arose to assume leadership, including Thomas DiDio, Angelo Vaccaro, Rosario Chirico, and Dominic Celestino, close associates of the ousted Frank Valenti.

When Gingello, Piccarretto and the others were released, DiDio and his team refused to cede power. A mob war ensued between Gingello’s crew, dubbed the “A team,” and DiDio’s “B team.” Among the victims were DiDio himself and Sammy Gingello.

Sammy’s Gingello’s car after the explosion. He had borrowed it from a friend for the evening.
From: Democrat and Chronicle, April 24, 1978.

The Valenti organization liked bombs as a weapon of choice, and during “the Alphabet Wars” (as the conflict came to be known), DiDio’s insurgents used one against Gingello.

At 2:20 A.M. on April 23, 1978, Gingello and his bodyguards, Thomas M. Torpey and Thomas E. Taylor, got into a black Buick sedan after leaving a nightclub, Ben’s Café Society (located at Stillson and East Main Streets). A remote-controlled bomb was detonated, cutting Gingello’s body in two; one leg was severed at the knee, while the other was nearly so.

Given the placement of the bomb, and the fact that both bodyguards still hadn’t closed their doors when the bomb ignited, his companions were thrown from the vehicle and escaped serious injury. Gingello was rushed to Genesee Hospital, where he died at 3:35 A.M., surrounded by family members, including his father James.

Those charged and convicted of Sammy Gingello’s Murder.
Top Left to Bottom Right: Francesco Frassetto, Rosario Chirico, William Barton, Anthony Chirico,
Angelo Vaccaro, and Dominic Celestino. From: Democrat and Chronicle, March 12, 1980.

A year later, on April 12, 1979, members of the so-called “B Team” were indicted in connection with Gingello’s death. These included Francesco Frassetto, Rosario Chirico, his son Anthony Chirico, Angelo Vaccaro, Dominic Celestino, and William Barton. All were convicted of illegal possession and use of explosives. The sentences for each varied from 10 to 30 years in prison.

-Christopher Brennan

 

For Further Information:

Ancestry.com

Rochester City Directories, 1957-1978

Rochester Suburban Directories, 1961-1978

“Blast Kills Sammy Gingello,” Democrat and Chronicle, April 24, 1978.

Bullard, Marcia. “Massaro Murderers Get Long Prison Sentences,” Democrat and Chronicle, January 15, 1977.

Bunis, Dena. “Indictments Latest Chapter in Tale of the Alphabet Wars,” Democrat and Chronicle, November 10, 1982.

Casale, Tony. “Sammy G’s 2 Bodyguards Escaped Force of Blast,” Times Union, April 24, 1978.

Craig, Gary. “Where Were Cops When ‘Sammy G’ Died?” Democrat and Chronicle, May 13, 2018.

Kenny, Blair T. The Rochester Mob Wars (Rochester, NY: Blair Publishing, 2017).

Monaghan, Nancy. “Death the Start of Gang War,” Democrat and Chronicle, April 24, 1978.

Monaghan, Nancy. “Pair Given 30 Years in ‘Sammy G’ Killing,” Democrat and Chronicle, March 12, 1980.

O’Brien, Bill. “Sammy G: Life a Struggle to Get, Hold Power,” Democrat and Chronicle, April 28, 1978.

Redmond, Jim, Steve Orr, and Michael Winter, “Mob Figure Shot Dead,” Democrat and Chronicle, December 18, 1981.

Ziegler, Lou. “Gingello Tried Trucking Take-Over Before Death,” Times Union, April 24, 1978.