RSS
Home
Targeting Tony
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Although Commander Clifford was newly assigned to confront Spilotro, he was well-aware of the gangster’s reputation and presence. Clifford described his adversary this way: “Tony Spilotro was a cold- blooded killer. You could see it when you looked into his eyes. He was capable of being extremely vicious and violent.”
The former Intelligence boss disagrees with newspaper accounts that killings involving the use of a .22 were the “signature” of the Spilotro gang. “Tony used a twenty-two, but that particular weapon wasn’t unique to him. A lot of hit men used a twenty-two.” According to Clifford, Spilotro, or men acting on his orders, also murdered with knives, ice picks, or any other weapon that struck their fancy.
In spite of acknowledging Spilotro as a dangerous killer, Clifford wasn’t particularly impressed with him, believing his status was overblown. “He was just a soldier, a punk. That’s all he ever was.”
Still, Clifford had to develop a strategy on how to deal with Tony. The feds were hot on the trail of Rosenthal, Glick, and the casino skimming operations, as well as Spilotro, so Metro could focus on Spilotro and his street crimes, which fell directly under its jurisdiction. He decided to attack both overtly and covertly. Five officers were assigned full-time to the Spilotro investigation and could be supplemented by additional personnel as needed. They kept pressure on Tony and his associates by implementing round-the-clock surveillance, often making no effort at concealment. The targets knew they were there, watching their every move, even following them into restaurants and taking seats at adjoining tables.
In addition, the tailing cops were told to aggressively enforce traffic laws. When a subject was pulled over for a motor-vehicle violation he was arrested and had his car towed. This tactic disrupted their activities, costing them time and money, as well as causing annoyance. It also allowed the cops to get positive identifications on the players and possibly pick up some good information. “Some of those guys weren’t real bright. You never knew what they might say when they were in the back seat of your car on the way to jail,” Clifford said.
Although this strategy invited allegations of police harassment, Clifford believed it was necessary and appropriate. “We were up against people who weren’t required to play by any rules; we were. Everything we did was legal, but sometimes we went right up to the edge. The goal was to put Tony in prison or drive him out of town. Also, there was a possibility that by keeping the media’s attention focused on him, along with his own huge ego, his bosses in Chicago might eventually get fed up with him.”
An additional matter needed to be taken care of in relation to the war against Tony Spilotro. A bond of trust had to be established between Metro and the FBI. On an organizational level, that would take time, a luxury the cops didn’t have. Instead, Clifford and his officers developed relationships with their FBI counterparts on a personal basis, building friendships and confidence in each other’s abilities. As these efforts came to fruition, cooperation between the two agencies grew. It marked a new phase in the struggle against organized crime in Las Vegas.
Next: The FBI
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
While Metro was engaging in verbal battles with Tony Spilotro and his attorney Oscar goodman, they continued their efforts to put pressure on Tony …
Kent Clifford returned from Chicago believing the war against Tony Spilotro would again be fought within the acceptable guidelines. A sense of …
