In the 1970s he was investigated by the Manhattan (NY) District Attorney's office for alleged extortionate activity against the owners of several nightclubs. On 2/27/70, he was arrested and subsequently indicted for extortion and menacing but plea-bargained to a charge of felony gun possession. Early in 1971 he was sentenced to a maximum of four years, of which he served 20 months. Since then, he has had no further trouble with the law.
He got a part in the film
Crazy Joe (1974) which led to him obtaining a
Screen Actors Guild card.
