Chicago Mob Boss Sentenced For Bombing Of Video Poker Business

Michael “The Large Guy” Sarno, who is the alleged boss of Chicago crime family ‘the Grand Avenue street crew’, has just been found guilty on racketeering conspiracy charges and now faces a possible 25 years in jail.
At the centre of the trial was the 2003 bombing of a rival video poker business in Berwyn, which was gutted by a pipe bomb explosion orchestrated by Sarno and the Chicago Outfit.
The Chicago Outfit is estimated to be comprised of 50 to 200 “made” men and 1,000 more associates with illegal poker machines placed in bars and restaurants forming a profitable part of their criminal enterprise.
Apparently the Chicago Outfit was coming under heat from investigators during “Operation Family Secrets” at the time, and so decided to outsource the bombing of their competition’s business by recruiting the assistance of the Outlaws motorcycle gang.
Consequently, the offices of C&S Coin Operated Amusements Inc was bombed in 2003, which served as a warning to the company to stay out of the lucrative crime family business in Chicago’s western suburbs.
After a six-weeks trial, it was concluded that the fifty-two year old Michael Sarno, who weighs around 21 stone and is 6 foot 3″ tall, had ordered Outlaws motorcycle member Mark Polchan, 43, as well as mob bomber Sam Volpendesto, 86 to bomb the premises. Also found guilty were Volpendesto’s son Anthony, 48, and Chicago video poker kingpin Casey Szaflarski, 52.
During the trial the jurors heard tapes of Volpendesto boasting about his part in the C&S,bombing and also complaining about the waning fortunes of the Chicago crew.
Polchan and Sam Volpendesto now face minimum prison sentences of 30 years while Sarno will likely receive around 25 years. After the trial was over,Sarno turned to the officers and said “Let’s go,” before then blowing a contemptuous kiss at reporters and exiting.