Rastelli Family History & Genealogy

William Harvey Rastelli was born on December 6, 1919 in Lock, Pennsylvania. In 1940 he married Clara Elizabeth Boatright (1920–2002) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. They had a son together Gary Walter Rastelli (1941-2001). William served in the US Army from June 20, 1944 until November 21, 1945.

Philip Rastelli Article Talk Read Edit View history From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Philip Rastelli Philiprastelli.png Born January 31, 1918 New York City, U.S. Died June 24, 1991 (aged 73) New York City, U.S. Occupation Crime boss Predecessor Natale Evola Successor Joseph Massino Spouse Connie Rastelli Allegiance Bonanno crime family Conviction(s) Extortion (1976) Conspiracy, contempt of court, and usury (1976) Racketeering (1986) Criminal penalty 10 years' imprisonment (1976) Four years' imprisonment (1976) 12 years' imprisonment (1987) Philip "Rusty" Rastelli (January 31, 1918 – June 24, 1991) was an American mobster and former boss of the Bonanno crime family, he spent all but three years of his reign in prison. Biography Rastelli was born and raised in Maspeth, Queens. He had three brothers (Carmine, Marinello, and Augustus) and two sisters (Justina Devita and Antonette Brigandi).[1] Rastelli was heavily involved in loansharking, extortion and drug trafficking activities before joining the Bonanno crime family. Rastelli also had a lunch wagon business. After moving to Greenpoint, Brooklyn where he lived until his incarceration, he met and became close friends with Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, Carmine Galante, Joseph Bonanno and Joseph Massino. On December 3, 1953, Rastelli and an associate allegedly shot Michael Russo in Queens. However, Russo survived the shooting and Rastelli, fearing identification, went into hiding. Over the next year, Rastelli's wife Connie repeatedly approached Russo's wife Rose with an offer of $5,000 if her husband did not identify Rastelli. Rose refused the bribe each time. In early December 1954, Russo was shot again and killed in Brooklyn. On December 13, 1954, Connie Rastelli was indicted on charges of attempting to bribe a witness. No one was ever charged in the Russo murder.[2] Connie was believed to have been killed in 1962 after she became an informant; her body was never found.[1] In 1969, in an attempt to restore order to the Bonanno family, the Commission appointed a three-man panel to run the family. This panel included Rastelli, Joseph DiFilippi, and Natale "Joe Diamonds" Evola.[3] Boss of the Bonanno family On July 21, 1971, Rastelli was indicted in Riverhead, New York on loansharking charges. The loansharking ring, centered in Babylon, New York and Islip, New York, charged victims from 250 to 300% interest annually and generated over $1 million per year in revenue for the Bonanno family. On December 28, 1972, Rastelli was convicted in state court on seven counts of loansharking.[4][5] On August 28, 1973, Bonanno boss Evola died of cancer.[6] On February 23, 1974, at a meeting at the Americana Hotel in Manhattan, the Commission named Rastelli as boss.[7] He was the first member of the Queens faction to lead the family; the previous bosses had all come from the family's birthplace in Brooklyn. Although Rastelli was endorsed by the Commission, the real power in the family soon migrated to rival Carmine Galante, who was released from prison at the same time.[8] First prison term On March 6, 1975, Rastelli was indicted on racketeering charges involving extortion. Nine years earlier, Rastelli had established a trade association of lunch wagon operators and taken control of the industry. Any operator who refused to join the Association and pay its stiff fees faced vandalism and physical assault.[9] On April 23, 1976, Rastelli was convicted of extortion in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[10] On August 27, 1976, Rastelli was sentenced to 10 years in prison, served consecutively to a four-year state sentence for conspiracy, criminal contempt of court, and usury.[11] He was imprisoned in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Rastelli's main contacts to the Bonanno family were mobsters Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and Joseph Massino.[12] In Rastelli's absence, Galante seized control of the Bonannos as unofficial acting boss.[13] The New York crime families were alarmed at Galante's brazen attempt at taking over the narcotics market.[14] Genovese crime family boss Frank Tieri began contacting Cosa Nostra leaders to build a consensus for Galante's murder, even obtaining approval from the retired Joseph Bonanno.[15] In 1979, they received a boost when Rastelli and Joseph Massino, sought Commission approval to kill Galante; the request was approved.[16][17] Napolitano was later promoted to caporegime, as well as gunman Anthony Indelicato.[18] Rastelli was now the undisputed boss, controlling things from behind bars through the use of acting bosses such as longtime Bonanno mobster Salvatore "Sally Fruits" Ferrugia. While Rastelli was in prison, Massino began jockeying for power with Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, another Rastelli loyalist capo. Both men were themselves threatened by another faction seeking to depose the absentee boss led by capos Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, Dominick "Big Trin" Trincera and Philip Giaccone.[19] The Commission initially tried to maintain neutrality, but in 1981, Massino got word from his informants that the three capos were stocking up on automatic weapons and planning to kill the Rastelli loyalists within the Bonanno family to take complete control.[19] On May 5, 1981, the three capos were murdered.[20] On April 21, 1983, Rastelli was released from prison,[11] and he and Massino ordered the murder of Bonanno soldier Cesare Bonventre.[21] Still a fugitive, Massino summoned Salvatore Vitale, Louis Attanasio and James Tartaglione to his hideout and gave them the order.[22] By this time, even though Rastelli was still officially head of the family, Massino was considered by most mobsters to be the family's street boss and field commander in all but name,[21] as well as Rastelli's heir apparent.[23] Second prison term Rastelli was arrested on a parole violation on August 16, 1984, due to "associat[ing] with persons engaged in criminal activity".[11] In 1985, Rastelli was indicted along with other Cosa Nostra leaders in the famous Mafia Commission Trial. Getting kicked off the Mafia Commission because of the Donnie Brasco infiltration actually prevented the Bonanno family from getting caught up in the Commission Trial, which sentenced many Mafia bosses and members to prison. However, when Rastelli was indicted on separate labor racketeering charges, prosecutors decided to remove him from the Commission trial. Having previously lost their seat on the Commission, the Bonannos suffered less exposure than the other families in this case.[24][25][26] On October 14, 1986, Rastelli was convicted on 24 counts of labor racketeering.[27] On January 16, 1987, Rastelli was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.[28] Death On June 4, 1991, Rastelli was given a compassionate release from the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Springfield, Missouri.[1] On June 24, 1991, Rastelli died at Booth Memorial Hospital (now NewYork–Presbyterian Queens) in Flushing, Queens from liver cancer at age 73.[1] He is buried in Saint John Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens.[29] Massino took over as boss of the Bonanno family after Rastelli's death.

Lewis/Louis Rastelli was born on Feb 18, 1927 in New York to parents Benjamin Rastelli Sr. (1906-1965) and Filomena Rastelli (1906-1969). He had brothers Nicholas (1925-1990) and Benjamin Rastelli (1928-2002). He lived in Kenilworth, Union, New Jersey.

Joseph J Rastelli of Yonkers, Westchester County, NY was born on May 13, 1924, and died at age 77 years old on January 17, 2002.

Telesfore Rastelli of Cheshire, New Haven County, CT was born on May 12, 1919, and died at age 66 years old in July 1985.

Louis Rastelli of Waterbury, New Haven County, CT was born on July 2, 1917, and died at age 83 years old on August 9, 2000.

Benjamin Jr Rastelli of Kenilworth, Union County, NJ was born on November 2, 1928, and died at age 73 years old on February 15, 2002.

Anthony T Rastelli of Lincroft, Monmouth County, NJ was born on September 21, 1926, and died at age 83 years old on January 24, 2010.

Anthony M Rastelli of Cranford, Union County, NJ was born on August 7, 1926, and died at age 79 years old on October 27, 2005.

Edward Rastelli of Atco, Camden County, NJ was born on October 23, 1923, and died at age 68 years old on July 8, 1992. Edward Rastelli was buried at Bg William C Doyle Vet's Mem Cem Section KE Site 2328 350 Provinceline Road, in Wrightstown.

Shirley A Rastelli of Deepwater, Salem County, DE was born on September 28, 1932, and died at age 76 years old on July 30, 2009. Shirley Rastelli was buried at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery Section 2B Row F Site 16 2465 Chesapeake Road, in Bear.

Jerry J Rastelli of Wantagh, Nassau County, NY was born on June 20, 1924, and died at age 86 years old on July 15, 2010. Jerry Rastelli was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 10 Site 10788 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Catherine Rastelli of Ridge, Suffolk County, NY was born on June 17, 1928, and died at age 68 years old on August 30, 1996. Catherine Rastelli was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 22 Site 1245 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Evelyn L Rastelli of Wantagh, Nassau County, NY was born on January 24, 1922, and died at age 83 years old on October 5, 2005. Evelyn Rastelli was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 10 Site 10789 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Frank A Rastelli of Centereach, Suffolk County, NY was born on September 19, 1932, and died at age 72 years old on March 23, 2005. Frank Rastelli was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 41 Site 2997 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Marinello M Rastelli of Ozone Park, Queens County, NY was born on July 10, 1916, and died at age 85 years old on April 7, 2002. Marinello Rastelli was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 43 Site 251 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.

Gloria Rastelli was born on May 29, 1923, and died at age 48 years old in July 1971. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Gloria Rastelli.

Nick Rastelli of Seattle, King County, Washington was born on July 10, 1919, and died at age 56 years old in April 1976.

Hettie Rastelli of Reno, Washoe County, Nevada was born on February 12, 1903, and died at age 83 years old in June 1986.

Stefano Rastelli of Reno, Washoe County, Nevada was born on July 7, 1893, and died at age 78 years old in September 1971.