Frank Balistrieri reported to Sandstone federal prison in Minnesota on June 28, 1971, being chauffeured there by Steve DiSalvo in a rented car rather than escorted by US Marshals in order to avoid handcuffs and publicity. While away, he placed Joseph Caminiti as the acting boss of the Milwaukee Family and his brother Peter as the underboss. DiSalvo maintained his position as one of the three captains. Warden Loren Daggett told the press, “They drove up to the gate and said Mr. Balistrieri was expected. We checked, including calling Washington, and he was admitted.” Daggett said there were “a handful of people that you newspaper folk take an interest in Sandstone,” but did not clarify. Balistrieri was eligible for parole in four months, and if he maintained good behavior as expected, would serve his full term after 294 days (rather than the sentenced 366). Daggett said of Balistrieri, “He’s treated just like any other inmate. He goes into the population.” He would be assigned a job, and had no perks or comfort. Daggett joked, “We’ve got government air conditioning – open windows.”
Sandstone is located roughly halfway between St. Paul and Duluth in Minnesota. I’m not sure when it was first opened, but Milwaukee mobsters were sent there as early as 1943. The size in 1971 is unknown to me, but in 2025 the population is estimated at 1,300 inmates – not much different than a high school.
Frank Balistrieri was temporarily released from Sandstone Federal Prison on July 19, 1971 (three weeks after going in) in order to testify before a grand jury the next day concerning perjury allegations about hidden ownership in Milwaukee taverns. He was led out in handcuffs and a waist chain. He spent the night in Ozaukee County Jail in Port Washington, and was greeted by photographers and journalists. Son Joseph said to the press, “What’s all of this? The sound and the fury – it signifies nothing.” Other witnesses to testify included Peter Gaudesi, Sue Bartfield, Alderman Allen Calhoun, Joseph Balistrieri (Peter’s son), Joseph Balistrieri (Frank’s son) and Angelo DiGiorgio. Loren Daggett, warden at Sandstone, said Balistrieri was visiting the prison doctor often, “trying to get health problems.” Joseph Balistrieri tried to fight his father’s visit to the jury, saying it would hurt his health, and there was no reason the jury could not go to him. It was claimed Frank had “arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with anginal syndrome” and “at least one instance of acute coronary insufficiency.” This was signed off on by cardiologist Dr. Robert P. Saichek. The prison doctor said that there was no risk to Balistrieri’s life by moving him.
July 19, 1971: Cudahy alderman Frank L. Chovanec testified before the federal grand jury. He told the press he was asked about the operation of the Kings IV “and that’s it.” Chovanec explained that he worked for Frank Balistrieri between 1963 and 1970 at the Scene and Gallagher’s. “I booked talent for Kings IV and they wanted to know about it.” Chovanec currently managed the Country Main Inn (East Grange Avenue) in Cudahy.
July 20, 1971: Frank Balistrieri had his turn testifying and was in the room for 35 minutes. With him were both sons and attorney Dominic Frinzi. Federal grand jury rules say attorneys could not be in the room, but Balistrieri was allowed to step outside and confer during questioning. He was seen coming out to consult Joseph Balistrieri twice. The same day, Joseph also testified and was represented by attorney Philip Atinsky. Still others on July 20 were: Nicolo Safina, Peter Gaudesi, bartender Al Guerera, the other Joseph Balistrieri, and restaurant equipment supplier Sam Fein. Fein told the press he sold the Kings IV equipment in 1969 and was still owed $300.
July 21, 1971: Alderman Allen Calhoun, chairman of the licensing committee, testified. Calhoun told the press he was asked about the licensing procedure and about any “control” Balistrieri had in various taverns. Also testifying were insurance agent William Rebholz, Rudolph Porchetta, hostess Susan Bartfield, Angelo DiGiorgio, accountant Henry Shellow, and a representative of the Milwaukee Cheese Company who declined to be identified.
July 23, 1971: Teamsters president Roy Lane testified for 90 minutes. When he came out, he told the press he was asked about topics “solely related to Democratic Republican Independent Voters Education (DRIVE) and the contributions made by DRIVE to various candidates for federal office.” He added, “I want it clear that no questions were asked me which involved anything related to Frank Balistrieri.” Federal prosecutor Michael King said the federal grand jury would pause and return on August 10.
Backtracking for just a moment. On May 18, 1971, Rockford mobster Charles Vince was found guilty of extortion in Madison federal court and sentenced to three years in prison. His attorney said the sentence was “reasonable” and they would not appeal. (This decision was reversed in July, and an appeal was filed. The reversal was reversed in August, when Vince dropped the appeal and turned himself in to Sandstone prison.)
September 20, 1971, Frank Balistrieri was denied parole. Warden Daggett spoke to the press, saying Balistrieri was neither a problem or a model prisoner but “just average.” He lived in a dormitory with 40 men and had a work assignment. Daggett would not say what it was, but said it would not be strenuous like “digging ditches” because Balistrieri had a heart condition and was getting on in years. He was approximately 53 years old.
October 11, 1971: State agent Herb Krusche had dinner at Sally’s Steakhouse. Sally spoke openly about knowing the Balistrieri family all her life, hpw she did laundry for them when she was younger and how they always had money even though they never worked. She said recently Frank’s kids Joe and Benedetta had started smoking marijuana, with Benedetta dating a “hippie” and Frank was very upset. She said a while back Joseph came to her restaurant with a county attorney and was upset that he couldn’t get immediate seating. Sally said he has not been back to her palce since, and Joe was just a “spoiled brat.” Sally asked Krusche what he wanted to know about the Mafia specifically. He said he would love to have the killers of Pogrob and Biernat confess. Sally said that she knew nothing about Biernat but believed that Pogrob was killed because he didn’t pay for hijacked liquor and “probably had it coming.” Krusche, probably half-seriously, asked Sally if Balistrieri had any interest in her restaurant. She said no, and the proof was that she was successful – he had never run a successful business. Krusche noticed Frank Trovato was the bartender and asked about him. Sally said Trovato and Balistrieri were not friendly. He had been a boxer and Balistrieri wanted to promote him, but Trovato’s family would not allow it. Further, Trovato dated Balistrieri’s niece for a while and after one argument he slapped her face. This sealed it for Balistrieri, who saw Trovato as a “no good bum.”
On November 9, 1971, a federal court indicted Joseph Balistrieri, Frank Balistrieri, Angelo DiGiorgio, Peter Gaudesi, bookkeeper Jennie Alioto and Teamsters employee Susan Bartfield. They were accused of a conspiracy to hide the true ownership of the Kings IV (720 North Water Street). In documents filed with the Treasury Department, Gaudesi and DiGiorgio claimed to operate the business, and the government did not believe this to be the case. As part of this, false tax returns were allegedly filed. The charges stemmed from a joint effort between the ATF, IRS and the state department of justice under Robert Warren. Dominic Frinzi appeared in court before federal judge John Reynolds and complained that including Joseph in the indictment “would stifle the good qualities performed for the community of a budding attorney.” Joseph was mntioned only once in the 14-page indictment and the only reason, according to Frinzi, was “an attempt to to humiliate.”
December 2, 1971: Sally Papia called Herb Krusche and told him she had received “several” threatening phone calls from voices that sounded like older men, and also a threatening letter. Krusche came to the restautant to get a copy of the letter. Sally said the threats started after a newspaper article on November 25 (not identified) and people were saying she talked too much. One of Frank Balistrieri’s friends told Sally she should put rat poison in Krusche’s food, but she assured him, “I wouldn’t think of giving you anything like that.” Sally told Krusche the tax auditors had been asking her about a loan she signed for Balistrieri two years prior at American City Bank. Sally said Joseph Balistrieri had recently been in the restaurant for the first time in a while and was cordial with her. She said shortly before Frank went to prison, father and son got into an argument in her office and she stepped in to break it up – this lead to her accidentally getting hit in the face.
December 3, 1971: Frank Balistrieri was in Milwaukee to be arraigned for the Kings IV trial. He was held at the Ozaukee County jail while in the area. Balistrieri was limited on who he could see while in the jail, and Jennie Alioto (acting as his bookkeeper) was turned away. After this, Balistrieri’s attorney Ronald Steinle went to the US Attorney’s office to confront prosecutor Michael King. King was “a no good son of a bitch,” Steinle told US Attorney David Cannon, and said he wanted King disbarred. “I’m going to have his license. I’m going to see that his ass is hung from the highest tree in the county.” Incidentally, Balistrieri pleaded not guilty.
January 13, 1972: Herb Krusche called Sally Papia, who was in St. Michael’s Hospital for minor surgery. Sally said Joseph Balistrieri had gone to Washington, DC to speak with E. Bennett Williams about the legal problems at the Kings IV. She also said she had tried to visit Frank Balistrieri while he was in the Ozaukee jail but could not get in.
February 24, 1972: The physical equipment and fixtures were auctioned off from the Kings IV. The building itself had been purchased by First Federal Savings and Loan.
Approximately April 5, 1972: $14,670 in cash was brought to the courthouse i na brown paper bag – it covered Frank Balistrieri’s fine and court costs, money that had to be paid before he could be released. The money was delivered by Peter Balistrieri and attorney Roland Steinle.
Frank Balistrieri was released from prison at 8:45am on April 7, 1972 and resumed his role as head of the Family. Leaving prison, he said to someone inside, “Questo nomo non ha fatto niente” (You know this man has done nothing). (The name of the agent who heard this is not written down, but he was apparently fluent in Italian – he even recognized the language as being a dialect from south of Rome.) Photos were taken of the family leaving the prison. They drove him to the Minneapolis airport where they briefly talked with someone. He arrived at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field and was joined by all four children. State agents Schmidt and Larsen were waiting at Mitchell, with the flight (North Central Airlines 994) expected to arrive at 12:44pm. On it was Frank, Peter, John, Joe and Baby Joey Balistrieri. The agents were unable to get a photo of them in the airport, though the newspaper did. They were picked up by a black Cadillac Fleetwood with license plate D139, which was registered to (redacted, initials “WW”) of Wauwatosa, and was likely driven by attorney Roland K. Wilde. The following evening, Frank met at Pitch’s Lounge with several Italian gamblers.
Antonina Balistrieri was confined in Mt. Sinai Hospital from April 10-15, 1972. She had been beaten up “profusely” by Frank for saying she was going to divorce him while he was in prison. A nurse at the hospital said it looked like Mrs. Balistrieri had been thrown down the stairs.
June 19, 1972: Judge Myron Gordon tossed three federal charge against Frank Balistrieri, keeping only one chage in place: conspiracy to hide the true ownership of Kings IV. The other charges related to failure to fill out certain forms, and Gordon determined they could have been charged as misdemeanors but not felonies as they were.
September 12, 1972: US Attorney Mike King dropped all charges concerning the hidden ownership of the Kings IV. He told the judge he wanted to get a new indictment from the grand jury that would clean up some of the language from the original indictment. The defendants asked Judge Gordon to remove the charges “with prejudice” so they could not be refiled, but he declined to do so.