 With his relatives, the Mazzarella family, he controlled the zones from San Giovanni a Teduccio to Santa Lucia.By 1974 there was evidence that he had risen in the criminal underworld when he was arrested with important Mafiosi like Gerlando Alberti, Stefano Bontade and Rosario Riccobono.Soon after that he was arrested in Palermo with Mafia boss Alfredo Bono for illegal possession of firearms.