LENGTHY CRIMINAL CAREER

Important dates in Michael Anthony Rizzitello’s career:

1960--Jimmy Fratianno later would state in the book “Last Mafioso” that this is the year Rizzitello is initiated into the Joey Gallo crime family in New York.

1962--Rizzitello, now on the West Coast, is arrested in a series of restaurant armed robberies. He is sentenced to nine years in prison.

1971--While at the state prison at Chino, Rizzitello meets William Carroll, who is serving a prison term for grand theft.

November, 1971--Rizzitello is released from prison.

1974 to 1976--According to Fratianno, Rizzitello is active in the Milano crime family.

Early 1976--Rizzitello is arrested in a mail fraud scheme and is later convicted.

Sept. 11, 1976--Rizzitello arrested in an insurance fraud scheme.

May 23, 1977--Rizzitello pleads no contest to insurance fraud. He is sentenced a total of three years on the mail fraud and insurance cases.

Jan. 28, 1978--Rizzitello and two others are charged with extortion after prosecutors claim Rizzitello ordered a man beaten up for failure to pay off a gambling debt.

Feb. 28, 1978--Six defendants, including Rizzitello who is still in prison, are indicted on charges of extortion and racketeering for using threats to muscle in on profits of pornography dealers. All but Rizzitello are also charged with obstruction of justice in the death of racketeer Frank Bompensiero. One of the defendants dies while awaiting trial.

April 12, 1978--Rizzitello is acquitted on the extortion charge over the gambling-debt beating.

Nov. 15, 1980--Jurors convict Rizzitello and the Milano family members on the racketeer and extortion charges but acquit the four on the obstruction of justice in Bompensiero’s death. Rizzitello is released from prison on the insurance and mail fraud convictions just a few months before the verdict.

Jan. 21, 1981--Rizzitello is given a four-year sentence for racketeering. But because of appeals, he does not begin serving his sentence until June 26, 1983.

Oct. 23, 1981--Rizzitello is acquitted in New York of conspiracy to kill a prosecution witness. His co-defendant is convicted.

May 10, 1986--Rizzitello is arrested on charges that he schemed to defraud stockholders of a Montana firm by fraudulently transferring and selling several hundred-thousand shares of the company stock. Two others are also arrested.

Oct. 2, 1986--Rizzitello and his two co-defendants are acquitted of the insurance scam. Rizzitello is officially released from prison for the 1981 Los Angeles racketeering case during this trial.

May 1, 1987--William Carroll is shot in Costa Mesa. He refuses to name his assailant.

May 29, 1987--Rizzitello and six others are indicted in a claim that they tried to market $1-million worth of stolen municipal bonds.

Early June, 1987--Rizzitello is sent to federal prison at Terminal Island for violating his parole by associating with known felons.

Oct. 2, 1987--Rizzitello is acquitted in the municipal bonds case.

Feb. 23, 1988--Rizzitello is released from federal prison at Terminal Island. Ten days later, Big George Yudzevich is found murdered in Irvine.

October, 1988--William Carroll agrees to tell authorities who shot him, and Rizzitello is arrested. He remains in the Orange County Jail.