Vegas mob buster Stan Hunterton dies at 74
Former federal prosecutor Stan Hunterton, one of the people who successfully drove the mob from Las Vegas in the late ’70s and early ’80s, died on Saturday in hospice care at his son’s home.
He was 74.
“He had a profound impact on combating the plague of organized crime in Southern Nevada,” said former U.S. District Judge Philip Pro.
Hunterton was part of the Las Vegas Strike Force, the team of prosecutors who investigated organized crime in Southern Nevada.
Pro recalled Hunterton’s prosecution of mobsters and hit men, most notably those tied to Anthony “Tony the Ant” Spilotro and his Hole in the Wall gang.
He graduated from Syracuse University’s law school and spent four years in Detroit fighting organized crime.
He investigated the death of Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa, whose murder remains unsolved, and convicted the owners of the Aladdin for allowing men with mob ties to exert secret control over the casino.
‘One of the most stand-up people’ in Las Vegas history
As a member of the federal Las Vegas Strike Force, Hunterton was a regular in the courtroom dramas of the city’s mobster heydays. He also helped uncover the skimming operations at the Stardust and Fremont hotels, which diverted millions of dollars to mobsters.
“He was one of the most stand-up people in the history of Las Vegas,” former Gov. Bob Miller said Sunday.
Miller, who was Nevada’s longest-serving governor, from 1989 to 1999, said Hunterton was “soft-spoken but got the job done” and was instrumental in ridding Las Vegas of the Mafia’s grip.
But the “very competent” Hunterton also put his family first, Miller said.
“One of the things about Stan was what a great father he was,” Miller said, referring to Hunterton’s relationship with his two sons. ”He was very attentive to his children.”
Hunterton’s sons remember their dad for his commitment to doing the right thing, his perseverance even in the face of threats and his dedication to the community.
”Our dad was professionally a huge believer in the sacred rule of law, and in his personal life nothing gave him more joy than helping people,” said Gabe Hunterton, 47. “I thought I knew all the stories, but lately I’ve heard so many great stories of him helping people get out of jams 20, 30, even 40 years ago.”
Hunterton’s younger son, Nate, 45, said his father taught him lessons about giving back to the community that he has imparted to his own three sons.
Both sons said their dad never brought his work home with him while they were growing up, even when the mob was threatening their family as a result of his work. They said Hunterton focused on spending time with friends and family once he returned home from work.
In an interview for the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2020 podcast series “Mobbed Up,” Hunterton recalled that not everyone longed for a time when the mob ran the town.
“It’s (an opinion) held by people who, first, were not killed by the Mafia,” Hunterton said. “And second, didn’t have a family member who did.”
Nate Hunterton said it was fun to watch mob movies with his dad. He said his father enjoyed the films, but he could only let their historical inaccuracies slide for so long before he spoke up.
He also said his father was fair to the movies and gave them credit when they got things right.
‘Always professional’
Hunterton knew all the ins and outs of the Las Vegas mobster era, Pro said in a recent phone interview with the Review-Journal. He could tell you everything there was to know about each exhibit in the Mob Museum, based on his own experiences, Pro said.
Outside the courtroom, Pro recalled Hunterton’s witty sense of humor. He said Hunterton was always professional and honest when he appeared in front of him for court proceedings and to argue cases.
“He was a very good lawyer, solid on the law, solid on the facts, good trial skills,” Pro said. “I was always very impressed with him.”
Hunterton left Las Vegas in 1984 to spend two years in Washington, D.C., as part of the President’s Commission on Organized Crime. He returned to the valley and started the private practice Hunterton and Associates, which he ran for about 30 years, focusing on criminal and civil law.
He also had stints as the general counsel to Sierra Pacific Resources, now NV Energy, the bar counsel for the State Bar of Nevada, and an instructor at UNLV’s Boyd Law School.
In a 1983 interview with the Review-Journal, Hunterton revealed that he enjoyed motorcycles and had taken up marathon running. He reflected on his demanding role as a federal prosecutor and mused on the alternative paths his life could have taken.
“And if there really is reincarnation, I’d like to come back as an independently wealthy person, or as an otter,” Hunterton said. “They get to play all the time.”
He died at the Las Vegas home of his son Gabe. Hunterton is also survived by his younger son, Nate, also of Las Vegas.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Review-Journal staff writers Brett Clarkson and Mark Credico contributed to this story.