Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, PH
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 5/12/67
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/19/201

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-10286-10493

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

92-6054-1ST NR 1988, 2ND NR 1988

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM: SAC, PH

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE :

• DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

05/12/1967

5

LCN, LATORRE, STEVEN JOSEPH, BKG, REL AND ASSOC,

DESCR, TRA, ADMIN INSTR

DOCUMENT TYPE:

CLASSIFICATION:

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

07/09/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

INC MEMO

Docid: 32304863

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10

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## Page 2

SAC, Philadelphia (137-4887)

Director, IBI 92-6054-

PIL 872-PС

May 17, 1967

Beurairtel 5/12/67.

Authority sranted to include captioned target

in your TECIP •

Keep Bureau currently advised concerning

developments in this natter.

Authority also granted to utilize services of

this source to identify members of La Cosa Nostra.

utilizing this source 3n this rogara, you Saousa contact

menber-intornants in La Cosa bostra oi yow olisce in au

eltect to determine the authenticity and accuracy of

872-PC's infornation.

92-6054

1 - Mr. Emory

16856 -

DUPLICATE YELLOW

ORIGINAL FILED IN

197-

JEK: baw

(6)

fite

51 MAY 241967

DocId: 32304863

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## Page 3

5/12/67

AIRTEL

REGISTERED MALL

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI

FROM: SAC, PHILADELPHIA (137-4887) (P)

SUBJECT: SAMUEL STEVEN LA TORRE, aka

PH 872-PC

TOO:

PHELADELPHIAY

Since 4/20/67, SA WAYNE D. SMITH of the Wilkes-

Barpe RA has been contacting SAMUEL STEVEN LA TORRE (PH 872-PC),

subject of Philadelphia Tile 137-4887.

LA TORRE, born 7/30/18, FBI No. 2-200-710, resides

at 909 Wyoming Avenue, West Pittston, Pa.

LA TORRE, Who is

married and has a family, resides with his family in the

same hone as his parents at instant address.

le is the son

of STEVEN JOSEPH LA TORRE, Philadelphia File 92-1717,

Bureau File 92-8595, and has always resided with his

papents.

PH 872-PC is an admitted gambler and has been

arrested in the past for his gambling activities. In 1954

he was convicted for passing counterfeit money and was

sent to the Federal Penitentiary at Lewisburs, Pa., for

a period of four years. Subject was involved

in the counter-

feit charge with CHARLES JOSEPH PARISI, Philadelphia Pile

92-1909, who Is alleged to be an LCN member.

4 - Bupeau

(RM)

137-

22- 92-6054 (ICN)

(SAMUEL STEVEN LA TORRE)

3

- Philadelphia

2 - 137-4887

1 - 92-1027

WDS : LMW

(7)

97-6654-

NOT RECORDED

202 MAY 18 1967

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Page

3

16856

ORIGINAL FILED IN 159-

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## Page 4

PL 137-4887

Pu 872-PC has coupleted three years of college

and served time in the U. S. Navy during World War II.

STEVEN JOSEPH LA TORRE, born 3/11/86, Montedoro,

Sicily, immigrated to the United States in 1903, and has

always resided in the Pittston, Pa+s area.

After arriving in the United States, LA TORRE

sent money to SANTO VOLPL, SR., (Deceased) Philadelphia

File 92-752, Bureau File 92-8318, to pay for VOLPE's

passago to the United States.

VOLPE came to the United

States and becane the leader of the Mafia in the Pittston,

Pa•s area.

LA TORRE, who has admitted membership in the

Mafia to PH 872-PC, was a close associate of VOLPE in a

coal contracting business for several years. LA TORRE was

also a business associate of CHARLES C. BUFALINO (Deceased),

Philadelphia File 92-1590, Bureau File 92-8630, who also

held a leadership role in

the Organization.

Both VOLPE and

BUFALINO were friends of LA TORRE in Montedoro, Sicily.

It is to be noted that CHARLES C. BUFALINO is the

unele of RUSSELL A. BUFALINO, Philadelphia File 92-443,

Bureau File 92-2839, who attended the meeting of hoodluns

at Apalachin, N. Y..

in November, 1957, and is the current

Leader of the LCN in the upstate

Pennsylvania area.

LA TORRE was an influential figure in the

Organization fron the time he cane to Pittston, Pa., and up to

approximately 1945. Sometime around 1945 111 feeling developed

between LA TORRE and the Organization, and as a result he

was looked upon with disfavor and not recognized by the

leaders, including deceased JOHN SCIANDRA, father of ANGELO

SCIANDRA, who also attended the Apalachin meeting.

PH 372-PC has stated it is anazing that his father

was never killed by the Organization, but feels he has

been allowed to live because he has always been respected

and feared.

PH 872-PC has advised that in addition to admitting

menbership in the Mafia, his father, STEVEN JOSEPH LA TORRE,

-2-

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## Page 5

PH 137-4887

has confided in him and identified other members of the

Organization. LA TORRE has also related to PH 872-PC

past activities of the Organization, which has included

information concerning the Organization's involvement

in past murders.

PH 872-PC claims he is the favorite son of STEVEN

JOSEPH LA TORRE. He has stated that his father has

enlightened hin on the Organization's membership and

activities for his own personal protection. PH 872-PC

has to date denied LCN memberships however,

the contacting

Agent is not completely convinced that PH 872-PC is a

non-nenber.

PH 872-PC has stated that his father has never

refused to answer questions concerning the Organization,

and he, PH 872-PC, is willing to present him with any

question that he cannot answer.

The first few contacts with PH 872-PC were related

to information he furnished in connection with a matter

entitled, "SAMUEL RUGGERE, ETAL; TFIS,* Philadelphia File

100, bureau File 15-57882, in which Philadelphia is

the office of origin.

PH: 872-PC furnished reliable and

valuable infornation in this matter, and was responsible

for the recovery of stolen property valued at approximately

$44,000.

0л. 5/8-9/67, PH 872-PC identified 38 individuals

as nembers of the Organization or the Mafia.

He has stated

these identities are based upon information he has received

fron his father.

It is to be noted that 30 of these individuals have

been previously identified as LCN members.

PH 872-PC has

also identified JOSEPH LUCO PAGANO and PASQUALE PAGANO

as members of the Organization. It is to be noted that both

of these individuals are subjects of LCN Index Cards of

the New York Office.

Based upon the information set torch above

the Philadelphia Offion believes that PH 872-PC is in a

position to positively identify LN members.

It is realized

- 3-

380-102

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P0: 137-4887

that PH 872-PC does not fully meet the criteria set up by the

Bureau; le, a menber can be only identified through a

highly confidential source or an admitted member.

Philadelphia feels,however, that PH 872-PC is an exception

to the rule, and Bureau authority is requested to consider

PH 872-PC an authority in identifying LCN members.

Captioned informant is described as follows:

Капе

Address

Born

Father

Marital Status

Wife

Sex

Race

Height

Weight

Hair

Eyes

Build

FBI No.

SAMUEL STEVEN LA TORRE

909 Wyoming Avenue,

west Pittston, Pa.

1/30A80 Pateston, Pa.

SLEVEN JOSEPH LA CORRE

Married

LINDA

Male

Caucasian

515*

155

Black (graying)

Brown

Mediun

2200720

Additional background and descriptive data will

De forwarded as it becones available.

980-10nd3

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