STAFF REPORT
The ranks of the Westchester cohort of the Luchese crime family were thinned Thursday with the sentencing of Steven “Wonder Boy” Crea to life in prison for his roles in a mafia murder and racketeering enterprises.
Crea, 73, of Crestwood, was the underboss, or second in command, of the Luchese La Cosa Nostra organization that ran rackets in Westchester, New York City, Long Island and New Jersey.
He is the last of 18 Luchese “made men” and associates, including six other Westchester residents, to be sentenced for murder, attempted murders, numerous assaults, drug trafficking, extortion, loansharking, defrauding a hospital, operating illegal gambling businesses and other endeavors from 2000 to 2017.
Crea, Matthew Madonna, 84, of the Bronx, Christopher Londonio, 46, of Hartsdale, and Terrence Caldwell, 62, of Manhattan, were found guilty in a six-week trial last year of killing Michael Meldish, 62, in 2013.
Madonna, the acting boss of the Luchese family, and Crea ordered the killing because Meldish had disrespected Madonna by failing to collect debts owed to the boss. Meldish himself was suspected in more than a dozen gangland slayings, according to news accounts.
Londonio and Caldwell carried out the hit on a quiet residential street in the Bronx.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel also fined Crea $400,000 and ordered him to forfeit $1 million for his various felonies, in White Plains federal court.
Madonna, Londonio and Caldwell were sentenced last month to life in prison.
Also sentenced previously were Crea”™s son, Steven D. Crea, 48, New Rochelle, conspiracy to commit murder, 13 years in prison; Paul Cassano, 41, Yonkers, conspiracy to commit assault, 18 months; Robert Camilli, 63, Briarcliff Manor, extortionate extension of credit, one year supervised release; John Incatasciato, 45, Elmsford, extortionate extension of credit, two years supervised release; and Joseph Venice, 59, Yonkers, racketeering conspiracy, 18 months.
