One of the few early members of the Detroit outfit born in the motor city on March 11,1906. Salvatore's mother Vincenza was a relative of Joe Morceri the influential bootlegger who controlled the distribution of sugar to local bootleggers as a member of Sam Catalanotte's Pascuzzi combine. Lucido worked along side some of the most influential racketeers in Detroit during his early years while getting a headstart on a criminal record which would come to include 32 arrests with 8 convictions. Lucido spent the 1920's working as a bootleger but found time to participate in a variety of criminal activities as evidenced by the nine arrests reflected in his record. Lucido's 1923 arrest and conviction on a charge of armed robbery resulted in a close call when the then 17 year old racketeer was sentenced to serve 7 1/2 t0 15 years in prison. This sentence was later overturned and Lucido instead received a 5 year probationary sentence. This proved no deterent to Lucido who over the next 5 years was picked up regularly for armed robbery and bribery. Lucido joined the rivergang and picked up an arrest for kidnapping in 1929. Lucido moved into the field of gambling following the repeal of prohibition and became a high ranking figure in the Licavoli numbers racket.
Lucido And The Licavoli's
The alliance between the Licavoli's and the Moceri's went back several decades and continued in Detroit with the combining of forces during the '20s. Lucido went to work for Tom and Pete Licavoli participating in the gangs smuggling, gambling and kidnapping rackets along the way. Inspite of his high reaching connections Sam was not above participating in gritty work such as the time he was arrested in the midst of the gang battle between Angelo Meli and Chester LaMare and found himself charged with murder. Sam's connection to the Licavoli's was strengthened when his adopted son Jack married Concetta Licavoli the surviving daughter of Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli. This marriage provided Yonnie with several grandchildren whom the imprisoned gangster doted over in later years.
Other Family Connections
Sam Lucido's family tree also counted another powerful figure in Angelo Meli who's daughter Angela married Sam's nephew Samuel Lucido. Another important contact was Wiliam Buffalino who's son is a prominent criminal defense attorney often found defending the rights of those connected to todays partnership. Buffalino was also a relative of upstate New York mafia cheiftain Russell Buffalino who succeeded Joseph Barbara Sr, as that families boss.
Lucido's Underworld Stature
By the time the McClellan committee hearings rolled into the motor city in 1963, Lucido was a multi-millionaire and was regarded amoung the most influential men in Detroit gambling circles. In the 40 years since his first arrest in May of 1923, Sam had been slowed only by a string of traffic convictions and two state gambling convictions which resulted in a couple of 5 year prison stays. Lucido was a guest at the Abate Licavoli wedding which signaled the return of Pete Licavoli as an influential member of the Detroit Partnership after rumors that he was being forced to retire after a prison stay fro income tax evasion. Lucido's Grosse Pointe Park address was also used on occassion by notorious underworld gunman and later Cleveland underboss Leo Moceri. Lucido passed his underworld gambling impire to his nephew Sebastian (Buster) Lucido who would come under govenment attack shortly after Sam's death in 1985 at the age of 79. The Lucido empire had expanded to include the $25,000,000 Wolverine Golf Club which was targeted for seizure by the federal government in 1992 after a sweeping indictment charging several members of the Lucido family on charges of gambling and money laundering. All members were acquitted after a highly publicized trial.
