(Q).I can't recall ever seeing as much interest in an unreleased title as their is in your book, have you decided on a title as of yet?
(A).Right now the name is Cigar City Gangsters:The Story of the Tampa Mob.
(Q).How close to completion is the book and do you have an anticipated release date?
(Q).I have all intentions of getting the manuscricpt out to an interested publisher by this summer-which in essence should translate into a release date 6 months to a year before final publication.
(Q).What sparked your interest in organized crime?
(A).My mom was always into the Mafia-Movies, and real life stuff. My paternal grandfather was a small-time bookie in New Jersey who worked for a connected guy-although I don't know who his connections were to. All of this sparked the initial flame.
(Q).Searching for information can be a long and tedious process, what drives you to do the research needed to put together a credible account of a topic?
(A).I love to do research more than the actual writing at times. Finding bits and pieces of information, something no one else has uncovered or reported, as well as the satisfaction of puttig bits and pieces into a cohesive format are just a few of the factors that provide me with the inspiration.
(Q).Why did you choose such a secrecative family as the Trafficante organization when there really was no reference to point? "book in publication."
(A).Exactly that point, there has never been anything done on the Tampa family. Now that I'm a resident of the Tampa Bay area, I just thought it would be a great ideal to do a book on this most unknown family which has maintained such a powerful presence yet most people could only name Trafficante out of the hundreds of family members and associates.
(Q).With the low key nature of the organization as a whole, how did you acquire your information and resources?
(A).The intial thrust of the book, and a ton of information came from Dave Critchley in England who I met online about four years ago. He sent me a ton of information that got me started. I then interviewed several news reporters who provided the names of targets "family associates and members," and law enforcement sources. I then followed up with contact calls and for the most part they were more than willing to talk. I've spoken to local cops, a A US Attorney, FDLE agents (Florida State Police), and a number of former FBI agents. I've also received some bits and pieces of inside information from people who knew people.
(Q).How did you build their interest to the point where they were willing to help you with this project?
(A).Most of them were alittle apprehensive at first, but when they saw I was serious and knew my stuff they opened up for me.
(Q).Who is your favorite organized crime figure?
(A).Tough question, I don't know if I have a favorite per say. Definately not Gotti!!! Santo Jr of course, Johnny "Scarface" Riviera was an interesting character, as well as Chauncey Smaldone the former boss of the Denver family. What a name for a mob boss, Chauncey.
(Q).What about a favorite true crime book?
(A).The Westies.
(Q).Who then are your favorite true crime authors?
(A).Rick Porello of course!! I also like Jerry Capeci, George Anastasia, Colin Wilson/Phillip Sugden (writers of Jack the Ripper titles) and TJ English for writing the best non-fiction book ever-The Westies.
(Q).Why is that the underworld lifestyle is so appealing to so many people?
(A).Mobsters have all the power, money, women and respect that the average person may or may not get, certainly not in the same style. The fascination with all things shady and evil has been around since the earliest writings of man, it's just apart of human nature. Most see mobsters as victmless crime purveyors. Unlike child molesters, rapists or other insidious criminal acts.
(Q).Do you feel this life is a negative reflection on the Italian Americain community?
(A).Only those who are involved in crime.
(Q).What direction do you see crime taking in the next 5 years?
(A).Maybe the FBI will finally start to look at the Asian organized crime groups which are getting more powerful, especially to the north in Canada. I also see the Russians getting bigger and badder, no two ways about that. The Mexican cartels will become even more of a force in narcotics. The Mafia, has been stagnant in terms of power rover in the past five years and I don't see their power diminishing in any great capacity in five years they are going down. At least I see a decline as the slowing.
(Q).Can you offer your personal feelings about Santo Jr before and after you began your research?
(A).I didn't know just how powerful he was before I began the research. After all here is a guy who ran a small family in a small city, yet he managed to be at the forefront of a number of major historical events "Cuban gambling, Mafia meetings La Stella and Appalachin as well as assasination plots against Castro and Kennedy." Santo also associated with racketeers and gangsters of all makes "from soldiers to bosses," and was virtually untouchable in National crime circles. He has been universally described as a gentleman sort of an old line gangster, big on family values (although he had his share of girlfriends) but also an ineffectual leader in his later years due to failing health. He actually did a poor job of leaving the crime family in place after he died although LoScalzo has managed to pick up the pieces and smooth things over.
(Q).Do you think Santo participated in a conspiracy to murder Johnny Roselli with members of the Detroit family?
(A).I think Santo may have given his Okay, but I don't think he was directly responsible. I never got the feeling that Roselli was all that close to Trafficante, not at all.
(Q).Their have been a lot of stories regarding the relationship between Santo Jr. and Myer Lansky, what do you feel the true nature of the relations between these two powerful figures really was.
(A).Lansky and Trafficante Jr. had most of their initial contact in Cuba when they were involved in casinos and gambling during the Batista regime. Their relationship was mostly business. There has been little if any evidence of the two meeting socially, but they did do business in Cuba and later in Miami.
