Steven Lorenzo “Wonder Boy” Crea was convicted by federal prosecutors for his roles in a mafia murder and racketeering enterprises.
Roundup Newswires / Yonkers Newswire Publisher / Editor Brian Harrod.
YONKERS, NY — August 28, 2020 —Steven L. Crea, 73, who lived in the Crestwood neighborhood of Yonkers, was the underboss of the Luchese crime family that ran illegal rackets in Yonkers, Westchester, New York City and Long Island.
Also 18 other Luchese “made men” and associates, including six other Westchester residents, were sentenced for various charges – including murder, attempted murders, numerous assaults, drug trafficking, extortion, loansharking, defrauding a hospital, operating illegal gambling businesses and other endeavors from 2000 to 2017.
The case centered around a claim by prosecutors that Matthew Madonna, the acting boss of the Luchese family, and Steven Crea ordered the killing of Michael Meldish, 62, in 2013
This was because Michael Meldish had disrespected Madonna by failing to collect debts owed to the boss. Meldish himself was suspected in more than a dozen gangland slayings, according to multiple media reports.
According to court testimony, Christopher Londonio, 46, of Hartsdale; and Terrence Caldwell, 62, of Manhattan carried out the hit on a quiet residential street in The Bronx.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel also fined Crea $400,000 and ordered him to forfeit $1 million for his various felonies, in White Plains Federal Court.
Also sentenced previously were Crea’s son, Steven D. Crea, 48, New Rochelle.
Paul Cassano, 41, from Yonkers, was convicted of conspiracy to commit assault and Joseph Venice, 59, from Yonkers, was racketeering conspiracy.
They both got 18 months in prison.
Steven Crea was inducted into the Lucchese crime family sometime in the 1980s, under the reign of boss Anthony Corallo.
By 1990, family boss Victor Amuso appointed Crea capo, taking over Samuel “Sammy Bones” Castaldi’s crew in The Bronx.
Steven Crea specialized in labor rackets, and gained power over Carpenters Local 608, using it to extort New York City contractors.
Steven Crea also held a no-show job at Inner City Drywall, one of the city’s largest drywall contractors and was involved with Local 282 of the Cement and Concrete Workers Union.
In December 1999, Steven Crea and Joseph Datello talked about bribery and extortion with Sean Richard, the son-in-law of John Riggi, the boss of the DeCavalcante crime family.
It was later revealed in court that Sean Richard was wearing a hidden recording device for the FBI.
On September 6, 2000, Steven Crea and other members of the Lucchese Construction Group were indicted in New York on state enterprise corruption, labor racketeering, extortion, and bid-rigging charges and was sent to prison.
On August 24, 2006, Steven Crea was released from prison with parole restrictions that prohibited him from associating with other mobsters or union officials.
On November 17, 2009, Steven Crea’s parole restrictions expired.
On May 31, 2017, Steven Crea was indicted and held without bail for racketeering, fraud and murder conspiracy.
Steven Crea is also accused of ordering the attempted murder of a Bonanno crime family associate.
The FBI also accused Steven Crea of giving his approval for one of his underlings driving to New Hampshire in an attempt to find and murder an informant.
Steven Crea was personally charged with mail and wire fraud in connection of his skimming involvement with the construction of a New York City hospital.
On November 15, 2019, Steven Crea, Matthew Madonna, Christopher Londonio and Terrence Caldwell were convicted in White Plains federal court of executing the murder of East Harlem Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish.
He received a sentence for life in prison in August 2020.
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Brian Harrod is the publisher and editor of the RoundupNewswires.com news website, which powers the hyper local Yonkers Newswire news and social media pages. You can learn more about Mr. Harrod at BrianHarrod.com.
Comments 9
yes I almost sure this Crea lane was part of this probe by the feds .state and local investigators .
Does anyone remember the Yonkers police commissioner was slightly injured by a car bomb ? i think it was Robert Olson. The newspapers at the time said a Yonkers detective was assigned by commissioner Olson to assist the FBI and NYS Organized crime task force investigate corruption in Yonkers and the car bomb was probably some revenge for helping this investigation. Can anyone tell me was anyone arrested for that car bomb? was there any confirmed or unconfirmed reports bout who behind it or why ? I know this happened when Terrance Zaleski and fully wanted these investigations to uncover corruption
What was the connection with steve crea and Yonkers govt corruption ?
Wasn’t Crea involved with a housing development on the east side years ago without approvals? Crea Lane?
I think someone forgot to do their fact-checking. Several errors in this story.
Author
Interesting comment, but little validity. So what was missing that you suggest needs to be fact-checked? Enlighten us. What do you know that is deficient? — Kindly, Hezi
Brian Harrod is swimming with the fishes
Author
Is that intended as a threat of some kind? I hope not! — Kindly, Hezi
Joke, no threat. Brian Harrod can’t even swim.