Blitzstein case figure Cino to be resentenced next month

Jace Radke

Friday, May 3, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

The resentencing of a reputed Chicago mob associate has been rescheduled for May 14 because the defendant couldn't travel to Las Vegas for a hearing today due to medical problems.

Stephen Cino, 64, is suffering from congenital heart failure and was unable to attend the sentencing at U.S. District Court after being hospitalized in Victorville, Calif.

The resentencing is in response to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' Sept. 24, 2001, reversal of a money-laundering conviction against Cino.

Cino, who was convicted on two counts of extortion and two counts of money laundering, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with a series of crimes that led to the 1997 murder of underworld figure "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein in Las Vegas.

The 9th Circuit overturned one of the money-laundering charges, stating in an opinion that a jury could not have found beyond areasonable doubt that Cino aided and abetted in a $2,000 tribute payment to another reputed mob figure.

According to the court's opinion, "When a defendant is sentenced to multiple counts, and one of the counts is later vacated the sentence package becomes unbundled and the court has the authority to put together a new package."

Cino, who was originally sentenced in August 1999, was acquitted of helping to orchestrate the January 1997 slaying of Blitzstein. Blitzstein was shot three times in the head by either Antone Davi or Richard Friedman, according to court records.

The two men fingered each other as the triggerman, with Davi receiving 20 years in prison after entering a plea agreement and Friedman being sentenced to 25 years. Authorities believe the killers wanted Blitzstein dead so they could take over his interests in an auto shop and loan-shark business.

Cino was among a group of men with ties to Blitzstein.

Cino's attorney, David Chesnoff, was expected to ask U.S. District Judge Philip Pro today to grant Cino a lenient sentence, according to court documents.

Cino had coronary bypass surgery in February 1998 and continues to suffer from hypertension, coronary artery disease and diabetes, the documents state.

The documents also state that when healthy, Cino has participated in Spanish, French, creative writing and nutrition classes in prison.