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Chicago-area union linked to 20 fires in U.S. theaters

By Liam Ford
Tribune staff reporter

November 8, 2003

Members of the Chicago-area movie projectionists union used crude smoke bombs in 20 occupied theaters in 10 states from New York to Texas to force three national theater chains to give them better contracts or hire union workers, federal prosecutors alleged Friday.

The 14-count indictment alleges that the nine men--all but one of them Chicago-area residents--traveled to theaters owned by chains that did not employ union members in their Chicago-area projection booths. At the theaters, they would plant plastic cups or bags filled with brake fluid and chlorine pellets that would chemically react, smoking and sending off noxious fumes at first, then in many cases bursting into flame, the indictment says.

Officials said the use of the chemical smoke bombs, which take a short while to begin flaming, allowed the suspects time to leave theaters.

The attacks took place while patrons were at the theaters, including seven in Chicago suburbs, and thousands of people had to be evacuated from theaters in the 20 incidents. They were meant to send a "violent message" that the theater chains should employ union workers on the union's terms, prosecutors said.

None of the fires appears to have caused serious injuries, though several people were treated at hospitals. The most high-profile incident occurred Aug. 15, 1998, when 4,000 people had to be evacuated and at least 21 were injured at Sony theaters at Broadway and 68th Street in New York City.

"To sort of take credit" for the incidents, the alleged arsonists would leave either CD covers from an album by the group Chicago or ads for shows playing at Chicago theaters, said U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald in the news conference announcing the indictments. The investigation is continuing.

"Organized labor has no business engaging in organized arson," Fitzgerald said.

At the time of the arsons, the union was having disputes with the targeted theater chains, AMC Entertainment Inc. of Kansas City, Mo.; Cinemark USA Inc. of Plano, Texas; and the companies that later merged to form Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corp. of New York.

The motivation of the attacks recalled allegations that have dogged the Motion Picture Projectionists, Operators and Video Technicians Local 110 almost since its creation in 1915, tied the union to Chicago's mob and made members targets of several federal investigations over the years.

Though the indictments Friday included conspiracy charges, Fitzgerald said there are no allegations of organized crime involvement in the arsons.

Those indicted included Albin C. Brenkus, the $93,000-a-year business manager of the union, as well as six other union members and two men allegedly promised jobs in the union.

Prosecutors said the plot began in early 1998, when Brenkus, 60, of Willowbrook allegedly gave chlorine pellets to Kent Dickinson, 52, of Bonfield, Ill., another member of the union, and met with union member Joseph Marjan, 29, of Riverdale, and others to explain how to make the incendiary devices.

Brenkus and Carl A. Covelli, 48, of Westchester, Keith J. Dutton, 48, of Chicago, and Peter J. Lipa, 48, of Wonder Lake, all union members, were arrested Friday. The four made court appearances before Magistrate Judge Sydney Schenkier in mid-afternoon, though Schenkier ordered them jailed until a detention hearing Monday.

Attorneys for most of the defendants either were unavailable or refused comment Friday. As he left court, Dutton said the charges were not true. Later his attorney, Vincent Pagano, said the fact that the investigation lasted five years shows "this is a weak case."

Two other defendants, Michael Rossi, 44, of Ingleside, and Peter Macari, 40, of Plainfield, were sentenced to prison earlier this year on state charges in connection with the baseball bat beating of the manager of a Melrose Park Cinemark Theater at his home in Elmhurst in August 1999.

Attorneys for Marjan and Dickinson were negotiating their surrender, and prosecutors are contacting military authorities about Gregory J. Tortorello, formerly of Bloomingdale, who is serving in the Army at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Another person, called Individual A, also is alleged to be involved in the conspiracy. Officials would not identify him.

Federal authorities investigated the arsons starting with the March 29, 1998, hits on AMC theaters in Warrenville and South Barrington. At the time police said they had no suspects, but the union had voiced its objection to non-union labor running the theaters' projectors.

The attacks ended Aug. 20, 1999, with one in Merriam, Kan., against a Cinemark theater.

Penalties could be as much as 20 years on arson conspiracy counts; 5 years for interstate travel counts; and 10 years on an obstruction of justice count leveled against Brenkus in an incident in which he allegedly told Marjan to lie to federal investigators when a grand jury investigation began. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Elmhurst Police Department and the DuPage County state's attorney's office assisted in the investigation.

Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

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