Las Vegas criminal adversary Stanley Hunterton passes away at 74
A retired federal prosecutor who played a key role in driving organized crime out of the Las Vegas casino industry has died at the age of 74.
Stanley Hunterton, who dedicated much of his legal career to combating organized crime, passed away at his son's house in Las Vegas while in hospice care, as reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
As a member of the Las Vegas Strike Force, Hunterton assisted in the prosecution of Tony "The Ant" Spilotro and his Hole in the Wall Gang. Spilotro was the head of organized crime in Las Vegas on behalf of the Chicago Outfit, and served as the inspiration for Joe Pesci's character in Martin Scorsese's Casino.
In June 1986, Spilotro was scheduled to stand trial for extortion and racketeering when he and his brother, Michael, went missing. Both brothers were found dead a week later in an Indiana cornfield. Prosecutors later charged 14 members of the Chicago Outfit with the murders and other crimes.
Former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman would have represented Spilotro if the trial had taken place.
Argent Corp
Hunterton and his team were also instrumental in uncovering skimming operations at the Stardust and Fremont hotels, which were owned by the Argent Corporation. Led by late property investor Allen R. Glick, Argent was found to be hiding Midwest mob influences in these properties. Millions of dollars were diverted from casino earnings and sent to mafia families in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Kansas City, according to prosecutors.
The Strike Force also brought charges against the owners of the Aladdin for illegally running the casino with members of the mob.
Jimmy Hoffa, the former head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, had allowed the mob to infiltrate his union. Argent's casino holdings, as well as the Aladdin, were bought using loans from the Teamsters Pension Fund, which were authorized by Hoffa.
Hoffa disappeared in 1975 in a case investigated by Hunterton and the Strike Force. While the incident remains unsolved, Hoffa is generally believed to have been murdered by the mafia. He was declared legally dead in 1982.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
U.S. District Judge Philip Pro told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that Hunterton had a "profound impact on combating the plague of organized crime in Southern Nevada."
In an interview for the Mobbed Up podcast series of the Review-Journal in 2020, Hunterton was asked about the opinion that "things were better when the mob ran the city."
"That view is held by people who, first, weren't killed by the mafia," Hunterton answered. "And second, didn't have a family member who suffered from their actions."
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Source: www.casino.org
