#16: History of Colorado Mob (Part 2): The Smaldone Crime Family & The Pueblo LCN

The Gangland History Podcast: An Organized Crime & Mafia History Podcast

We cover the era of the Smaldone brothers including Clyde Smaldone, Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone, and Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone.

We dive into the history behind this family which ran most of the rackets in and around Denver, Colorado throughout the 1930’s through the 1980’s.

We’re also going to touch on their connection to the Mafia in Pueblo, Colorado, and discuss some of the players in that family as well.

Topics that we dive into:

• The Smaldones involvement in the Joe Roma murder
• The family background of the Smaldone family
• How the Smaldones operated during Prohibition
• The Smaldones and bootlegging in Denver and Pueblo
• The background of Clyde and Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone
• The Smaldone's relationship with Al Capone
• The Smaldones, Clyde and Eugune first prison sentence in 1933
• The Smaldone's involvment in the attempted assassination of Leo Barnes
• The Smaldone's second prison sentence from the late 30's to early 1940's
• How the Smaldone brothers built their gambling empire
• The Smaldone involvement in several underworld murders
• The Smaldone's 1953 prison sentence of 60 years
• The rise of Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone and Paulie Villano
• The increased law enforcement scrutiny from the 1960's through the 1980s
• The Smaldone's final prison sentences
• The Pueblo, Colorado Mafia (Calogero "Charley" Blanda, Vincenzo "Black Jim" Coletti, Joseph "Scotty" Spinuzzi)

Mentioned in this episode: Clyde "Flip Flop" Smaldone, Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone, Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone, Paul "Fat Paulie" Villano, Raffaele "Ralph" Smaldone, Eugene "Young Gene" Smaldone, Giuseppe "Joe" Roma, Paul Enrichi, Frank "Blackie" Mazza, John "Porky" Routta, Joe "The Ram" Salardino, Calogero "Charles" Blanda, Vincenzo "Black Jim" Coletti, Joseph "Scotty" Spinuzzi, Leo Barnes, Mike "Fats" Falbo, Harold "Murph" Cohen, Robin "Walkie Talkie" Roberts, Sam Shanks, Pauline Smaldone, John "Skip" LaGuardia, Ralph Pizzalato

If you haven't watcehed to Part one, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72WhjfPxUq8

Also, here are the links to buy the books I cited within the episode...

• 'Smaldone: The Untold Story of An American Crime Family' by Dick Kreck: https://www.amazon.com/Smaldone-Untold-Story-American-Family/dp/1555917062
• 'Colorado's Carlino Brothers: A Bootlegging Empire' by Sam Carlino: https://www.amazon.com/Colorados-Carlino-Brothers-Bootlegging-Empire/dp/1467143278/

Blog Post: https://membersonlypodcast.com/colorado-mob-history-part-two/