Ernest Rocco Infelise (Infelice)-Cicero Mob Boss

Infelise was born on March 16, 1921. He became an associate of James V. “The Turk” Torello, who was also known as “The Butcher,” and a mob hitman.

In April 1956, Chicago police were conducting a surveillance of a garage at the rear of 5037 W. Oakdale in Chicago. The garage contained more than $100,000 worth of stolen drugs. The owner had rented space to Thomas Gateo, who was actually Torello. On April 26, Torello, Infelise and two other men, entered the garage and were arrested but later released.

Later, Infelise would hangout at a restaurant at 8500 North Avenue, Melrose Park, using the address as the one he used to get his driver’s license.

In 1964, he was called as a witness in the arson fire at Pedicone’s Restaurant in Lyons. His wife at that time was Rosemarie. He had an ownership interest in the Guest House Restaurant, which had been burned down in 1962., and in the Lido Motel on Mannheim Road.

Infelise was subpoenaed to testify in the trial of Sam “Momo” Giancana, and he was identified as one of 15 men considered hitmen by the FBI.

In 1966, Infelise was indicted with Vincent “The Saint” Inserro on charges of failing to file his income taxes. He had come back to Chicago after operating a bookmaking office in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

He was convicted and sentenced for hijacking and sent to Leavenworth where he spent several years until he was parolled in 1972. He was given a job at McCormick Place as a laborer for Teamsters Union 714.

After another stay in the penitentiary, Infelise was released in 1975 and returned to work at JEP Trucking, which also allegedly had been partially owned by Torello. Torello died in 1979, and he was succeeded by Joseph “Joe Nagal” Ferriola.

Infelise was a constant companion with reputed mob hitman and former Chicago Cardinal Lineman Wayne Bock and Ferriola.

Notes:

50 % partner with Sam Carlisi (Bartlet) in J.E.P. Leasing. Former member of Teamsters Local 714 at McCormick Place. Associate of Sam Carlisi and Americo DePietto. Convicted in 1992. WIfe Ann Infelise (Also Infelice).

Real estate included a condominium at 1535 Forest Ave., River Forest; and residential property in Hollywood, Florida. Worked as a Teamster at McCormick Place in the 70s. DOB: March 16, 1921.

Prior Home: 1407 LeMoyne Ave, Melrose Park. Dec. 1989, friends held a $100-a-person fundraiser at the Carlisle Banquet Hall to raise $100,000 for an Infelise defense fund. Patrick Tuite was his attorney.

Infelise was indicted on Feb. 7, 1990 and convicted of 20 counts of raketeering on March 10, 1992, but the jury split on charges that he was involved in the conspiracy to murder bookie Hal Smith. Infelise was sentenced to 63 years on August 19, 1993.

Fines he paid neared $1 million and included his Hollywood, Florida mansion, his half-interest in his Riverforest condominium (co-owned with his wife, Ann) his Paine Webber investment account, JEP trucking that he co-owned with Sam Carlisis and a diamond ring and gold coins found in a bank safe-deposit box.

He was allowed to keep his individual retirement account valued at $134,229, because statutes specifically barred its forfeiture. Infelise was also ordered to repay $3 million in illegal gambling profits, and to forfeit his home at 1535 Forest Avenue. The home consists of 2 condominiums combined into one that he and his wife, Ann, purchased in 1981. Infelise was 69 at the time of the conviction handed down by US District Judge Ann C. Williams.

Infelise governed a mob betting ring based in Cicero.

In 1983 and 1984, profits from lost wages exceeded $570,000, from more than $900,000 collected. Expenses included bribes to police and judges and continued legal fees to keep FBI agents and police snoops at bay. In 1983, the gross profits had reached $1.2 million.

Infelise contended on undercover tapes collected by FBI mole William BJ Jahoda that he paid $5,000 a month to an unnamed law enforcement person Infelise refered to as “Whiskers” who provided information on police investigations into gambling and the West Side mob’s activities. Infelise never divulged the name of “Whiskers,” but implied that he got the name from refering to the white beard of Uncle Sam. Jahoda testified that he beleived the source was someone in the Cook County Sheriff’s Office who routinely turned over information to Infelise, tipping him off to planned raids.

He also said that Infelise paid $500 a week in 1985 to a Forest Park patrol officer to perform errands. That officer was identified as Gary Doss, who left the force at the time of the Infelise trial in 1992. Jahoda said Infelise spent as much as $35,000 a month buying protection.

Infelise also maintained a “Christmas Fund” to dole out money to politicians and the wives and girlfriends of crew members who were jailed.

Prior to the 1992 trial, Infelise was arested in November 1972 and charged as a crime syndicate terrorist and commercial gambler. he lived at 1407 Lemoyne Ave in Melrose Park.

That trial focussed on links between the Infelise mob and black street narcotics peddlers.

He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years, serving several years, for heroin trafficking.

As a reward for remaining silent in prison, Infelise was given a job at McCormick Place, ostensibly to shielf illegal activities there.

A subsequent hiring scandal there forced him and other mob associates out of their McCormick place union jobs.

Infelise was a former World War II paratroop veteran. Indicted inApril, 1966 for failing to pay income taxes for 1959, 60 and 62.

More than a dozen arrests for murder, burglary and a prime suspect in several arsons.