You’ve probably seen the face—the weathered, tough-guy look of a man who’s seen too much. Or maybe you've heard the gravelly voice on a podcast lately. It's a surreal sight if you grew up during the 1990s when the name Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano was synonymous with the most high-stakes betrayal in the history of the American Mafia. Naturally, folks are asking: is Sammy the Bull still incarcerated?
The short answer? No. He's a free man. Well, as free as a man with his history can ever truly be.
He walked out of prison in September 2017. Since then, he hasn't exactly been hiding under a rock. If you go on YouTube, you’ll find him regularly uploading episodes of "Our Thing," where he recounts hits, sit-downs, and the inner workings of the Gambino crime family. It’s a bizarre second act for a guy who was once the underboss to the "Teflon Don" himself, John Gotti.
Where is Sammy the Bull Now?
Right now, in 2026, Gravano is living in Arizona. He’s about 80 years old. Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle he’s even alive, let alone out of a jumpsuit. Most people who flip on the Gambinos don’t exactly get to enjoy a quiet retirement in the desert.
But Sammy isn't just "retired." He’s a digital influencer.
He moved from the Witness Protection Program to a prison cell, and then directly into the creator economy. He’s got hundreds of thousands of subscribers. He talks about power, prison rules, and street politics with a bluntness that only someone who spent decades in that life can pull off. He basically swapped the "omerta" code for a microphone and a ring light.
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Why People Think He’s Still Locked Up
The confusion about whether he's still behind bars usually stems from his double-header of legal trouble. Most people remember he got a "sweetheart deal" in the early 90s. He confessed to 19 murders but only served about five years because he helped the FBI take down Gotti.
Then he blew it.
He didn't stay quiet in Witness Protection. He moved to Arizona, started an ecstasy ring with his son, and got slapped with a 20-year sentence in 2002. Because that sentence was so long, a lot of people just assumed he’d never see the light of day again.
- First Stint: 1991–1994 (Cooperated with feds).
- Second Stint: 2002–2017 (Ecstasy trafficking conviction).
- Current Status: Released on parole.
The Reality of His Parole
Just because he isn't in a cell doesn't mean the government isn't watching. When Gravano was released in 2017, it wasn't a "get out of jail free" card. He is on federal parole for the rest of his life.
Think about that. For the remainder of his days, he has to check in. He has travel restrictions. There are people he can’t talk to and places he can’t go. It’s a leash, even if it’s a long one.
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His health is also a factor. He’s dealt with Graves' disease for years, which has visibly changed his appearance. Despite that, he seems pretty sharp in his videos. He often mentions that he’s just focused on "re-acclimating," which is a polite way of saying he’s trying to stay relevant while staying out of trouble.
Is Sammy the Bull Still Incarcerated by His Past?
There’s a deeper question here. Physically, he’s in Arizona. Mentally? He seems to still live in 1985 Bensonhurst.
Every story he tells is a journey back to the days of the Gambino family. He talks about "the life" with a mix of nostalgia and regret, though he rarely sounds truly sorry for the violence. He justifies his "ratting" by claiming Gotti betrayed him first. It’s a complex narrative that keeps his fans coming back for more.
The $70,000 Bounty
One thing that keeps him "incarcerated" in a state of constant vigilance is the price on his head. Peter Gotti reportedly put a $70,000 hit out on him years ago. While the old-school Mafia isn't what it used to be, you don't just walk away from 19 murders and a high-profile betrayal without looking over your shoulder.
He doesn't hide his location as strictly as he used to, but you can bet he’s got security.
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What to Do With This Information
If you're fascinated by the Gravano saga, there are a few ways to see what he’s up to without relying on old news reports:
- Check his YouTube: His channel, Salvatore Sammy The Bull Gravano, is the most direct source of his current thoughts.
- Read "Underboss": If you want the backstory he told Peter Maas in the 90s, this is the foundational text of his life story.
- Watch the Interviews: He’s done sit-downs with everyone from Diane Sawyer (years ago) to modern podcasters, providing a weird timeline of his aging and shifting perspective.
The bottom line is that the Bull is out. He served his time for the drugs, he "paid" for the murders with his testimony, and now he’s an elderly man telling war stories to a camera. Whether he deserves that freedom is a debate that usually ends in a shouting match, but the legal fact remains: he’s home.
Keep an eye on his social media for real-time updates on his legal standing, as parole conditions for high-profile figures can change if they violate even minor administrative rules. For now, he’s just another retiree in the Valley of the Sun—albeit one with a much darker history than his neighbors.
Next Step: You can verify his latest public appearances by searching for his most recent "Monday LIVE" episodes on YouTube, which usually confirm his current location and active status.