In a major blow to the kidnaping racket, a Chicago jury found Basil ‘The Owl’ Banghart, a notorious member of the Touhy gang, guilty of snatching John ‘Jake’ the Barber Factor, a wealthy promoter, from the streets of Chicago. Banghart was swiftly sentenced to 99 years in jail, a punishment that sent shockwaves through the underworld. The same day, a jury in Albany, New York, convicted Manny Strewl of kidnaping Lieutenant John J. O’Connell Jr., nephew of a prominent politician, and sentenced him to 50 years in prison.
Related Federal Cases
- Blood in the Streets: Big Tim Murphy Falls in Chicago Gang War · Illinois
- Four 18th Street Gang Members Charged in Bar Robbery, Taxi Driver Kidnapping · New Jersey
- Buffalo Gang Member Oscar Romero Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Charges · New York
- John Evans, Timothy Finch Jailed in L.R.G.P. Gang Takedown · New York
- Tony Peebles Gets Nearly 25 Years for 10th Street Gang Rampage · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: National
- Category: Organized Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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