Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna (1970 or 1971 – November 24, 2011[1]) was an acting boss of the Bonanno crime family of the New York City mafia families,[2] and the Sicilian faction-leader of the Bronx section. At the time of his death, he had been associated with the Rizzuto crime family of Montreal. He was a dual citizen of Italy and Canada.[3][4]
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Montagna was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1971. He was raised in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and became attracted by the United States already as a teenager. Montagna and his family settled in the Bronx, New York, in the mid 1980s, when he was 15,[5] and Montagna became quite attached to the life of crime, violence and corruption. It is unclear when Montagna was inducted into the Bonanno crime family, however, it was during the late 1990s, under the leadership of strong Boss Joseph "Big Joe" Massino that Montagna was overheard in wiretapped conversations between other reputed members of the Bonanno crime family, such as the Underboss, Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale.
Little is known of Montagna's personal life, only that he got married sometime in the early 1990s to Kellice Gucciardo, relating him to the Gambino and the Genovese crime families by marriage. They had two children, but divorced shortly after the death of a son. He subsequently married Francesca Carcione and lived in a mansion in Elmont, Long Island with his wife and three daughters. He started a small metalworking company called "Matrix Steel Co.", located at 50 Bogart Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn.[6][7] Matrix Steel manufactures structural and rail mill products, gray and ductile iron foundry crucibles, foundry converters, casting machines, sizing or embossing presses, foundry mold machines and foundry dies and tooling. It was around this time that Montagna was given the nickname, "Sal the Iron Worker".[6]
In 2002, Montagna was arrested along with the crew of Patrick DeFilippo for illegal gambling and loansharking charges. He refused to answer questions before a grand jury and was charged with criminal contempt. He later pleaded guilty to the charge in 2003, and was placed on probation. It was in late 2003 that US law enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) listed Montagna as an "Acting Capo" and Caporegime of the Bonanno crime family on behalf of DeFilippo and the Sicilian faction which is based in the Bronx.
After longtime Bonanno Boss, "Big Joe" Massino became a witness, testifying against 60 of his fellow mobsters, Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano was recognized as the reputed Boss of the Bonanno crime family, only to discover that Massino would testify against Basciano as well, shipping him directly off to prison. Around late 2005, Basciano stated that he would promote the Sicilian faction of the old Bonanno crew back in the family's leadership, as Montagna was recognized as the reputed acting boss of the Bonanno crime family from early 2006 until his death, with Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora as underboss and Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito as consigliere, making the "Administration" of the Bonanno crime family once again whole and safe. At that time, Montagna gained the nickname "Bambino Boss" due to his relative youth, being 36.[8][7]
As of 2008, Montagna was still the reputed Acting boss of the Bonannos,[9] controlling the entire Bronx faction of the family, as the Daily News links Montagna to known Sicilian Bonanno official, Baldassare "Baldo" Amato. He resided in a modest home in Elmont, Long Island.
In 2009, Montagna was detained by the USCIS. He is not an American citizen and was deported back to Canada. A 2003 conviction on gambling and his refusal to turn canary had got him a 5-year probation term. This allowed USCIS to deport him, having come within 5 years of obtaining a greencard, when it expired. While in Canada he attempted to gain American residency. According to mob writer Jerry Capeci, it was understood Montagna would have no standing or authority within Montreal's then-dominant Rizzuto crime family.[10][7][3]
After a slide in power of the family, Montagna started to show his power. Prior to the death of Nicolo Rizzuto, he had tried to convince the old patriarch to step down, and let younger blood rule. Within a few months, Nick Rizzuto Sr. was dead.[11]
In 2011, following the assassinations of several major Rizzuto mobsters starting in 2009, Montagna was identified one of three major mobsters trying to fill the resulting power vacuum,[12] if not take over the Montreal Mafia himself.[13] He, along with Calabrian Joe Di Maulo and Raynald Desjardins were trying to solidify power in the Rizzuto family.[14] At the time of his death, he had been suspected of trying to shake down Montreal-area construction companies.[15] He was considered the heir to the throne of the Rizzuto family.[16]
The water-drenched body of Montagna was found on 2011 November 24 on the shore of Île Vaudry on the L'Assomption River, in the city of Repentigny, Quebec, Canada, on Montréal's north shore region (courronne nord). He had been shot multiple times, at around 10am on November 24, 2011 on Île-aux-Tresors in the city of Charlemagne, Quebec, across the river.[17][18][7] It was reported he ran and jumped in the river and attempted to escape his killers.
It is believed he was abducted and taken to the house as his vehicle was later found parked on a Montreal street. The house was occupied by a convicted smuggler Jack Arthur Simpson who was held later on a parole violation. Six people have been arrested and charged including Simpson and Raynald Desjardins, 57, of Laval, by far the most significant.[19] Once described as Vito Rizzuto’s right-hand man, Desjardins was the target of a failed assassination on Sept 16th 2011 when someone tried to kill him and his bodyguard near his home in Laval.
| Business positions | ||
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| Preceded by Michael "Mikey Nose" Mancuso |
Bonanno crime family Acting boss 2006-2009 |
Succeeded by Ruling Committee/Panel |
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