Carmine Persico
Encyclopedia
Carmine John Persico, Jr. (born August 8, 1933 Brooklyn
) also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the de-facto boss
of the Colombo crime family
since the early 1970s. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving life imprisonment
without parole since 1987.
, commonly known as "Allie Boy". Carmine Persico Jr.'s nephew is Theodore Persico, Jr.
Carmine Persico, Sr. was a legal stenographer for several law firms in Manhattan and provided his family with a comfortable living. The Persico family lived in the Carroll Gardens and Red Hook
sections of Brooklyn. Carmine Persico Jr. dropped out of high school at age 16. By then, he was a leader of the Garfield Boys, a Brooklyn street gang. However, one contemporary source says that in 1950 the 16 year-old Persico actually belonged to the South Brooklyn Boys, a successor gang to the Garfield Boys. In March 1951, the 17 year-old Persico was arrested on charges of fatally beating another youth in Prospect Park
in Brooklyn. However, all charges were eventually dropped.
In the early 1950s, Profaci crime family capo Frank Abbatemarco recruited Carmine Persico Jr. into the crime family. At first, Perscio did bookmaking and loansharking, then moved into burglaries and hijackings. During this decade, Persico was arrested over 12 times, but spent only a few days in jail. Persico also started working with Joseph Gallo
and his brothers Albert and Lawrence.
, the former leader of Murder Inc. and the boss of what was then the Anastasia crime family
. Anastasia's underboss Carlo Gambino
wanted control of the family and conspired with his allies, Genovese crime family
boss Vito Genovese
and Profaci boss Joseph Profaci to kill Anastasia. Profaci allegedly gave the job to Persico and the Gallo brothers.
On October 25, 1957, Anastasia entered the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel (now the Park Central Hotel) in Midtown Manhattan
. As Anastasia relaxed in the barber chair, two men – scarves covering their faces – rushed in, shoved the barber out of the way, and fired at Anastasia. After the first volley of bullets, Anastasia allegedly lunged at his killers. However, the stunned Anastasia had actually attacked the gunmen's reflections in the wall mirror of the barber shop. The gunmen continued firing and finally killed Anastasia.
No one was ever charged in the Anastasia killing, and there is an alternative theory that gunmen from the Patriarca crime family
of New England performed the hit. In 1984, Persico allegedly boasted of the crime to a relative:
Tommy Lucchese
were encouraging the Gallos to challenge Profaci, their enemy. When Profaci took Abbatemarco's lucrative rackets away from the Gallos, the warfare began.
In February 1961, the Gallo faction kidnapped Profaci underboss Joseph Magliocco
and capo Joseph Colombo
. After several weeks of negotiation, the Gallos reached an agreement with Profaci and released the two captives. However, six months later, Profaci reneged on the deal and war broke out again between the Gallos and the Profaci family.
. However, a passing policeman witnessed the attack, forcing Persico and his men to flee. Persico supposedly gained the nickname "Snake" from this act of treachery. Persico was indicted later that year for attempted murder of Gallo, but the charges were dropped when Gallo refused to testify.
On June 6, 1962, Profaci died of cancer and Maglicco became the new family boss. However, the war with the Gallo faction continued.
In early 1963, the Gallos bombed Persico's car, but he escaped with minor injuries. On May 19, 1963, Gallo gunmen ambushed Persico in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. A panel truck pulled alongside Persico's car and two men shot Persico in the face, hand, and shoulder. Persico reportedly spat out the bullet that had entered his face.
Soon after the May attempt on his life, Persico was imprisoned on extortion charges. By the fall of 1963, with Joey Gallo in prison also, the shooting war had ended with Magliocco the winner.
In late 1963, after an unsuccessful attempt to take over the Mafia Commission, Magliocco was forced out of the family. He was replaced by Joseph Colombo, who had alerted the Commission to Magliocco's plot. The Profaci crime family was now the Colombo crime family. In turn, Colombo rewarded the imprisoned Persico by naming him a capo.
In 1968, Persico was convicted on federal hijacking charges after five separate trials dating back to 1960. On January 27, 1971, Persico was finally sent to prison on these charges, where he would spend eight years. The trial was noted for the only appearance of former mobster Joseph Valachi as a prosecution witness.
rally in Manhattan. The shooter, Jerome Johnson, was immediately shot to death by Colombo's bodyguards. Colombo survived in a paralyzed state until his death on May 22, 1978. Police concluded that Johnson was the sole shooter. Law enforcement and the Mafia assumed Gallo had organized the hit; Gallo had built ties with African-American gangsters and, upon his release, threatened to start another gang war unless he received $100,000 compensation.
On November 11, 1971, Persico went on trial in state court on 37 counts of usuary, coercion, extortion, and conspiracy, all stemming from a loansharking operation out of a Manhattan fur shop. On December 8, 1971, a jury acquitted Persico of all charges; all 12 prosecutions witnesses said they could not identify Persico.
After the Colombo shooting, underboss Joseph Yacovelli assumed the role of acting boss. However, the Persico family essentially took control of the Colombos on the then-imprisoned Carmine's behalf, with Carmine himself coordinating the suppression of the Gallos. On April 7, 1972, Gallo was shot and killed by Persico gunmen as he was celebrating his birthday at Umberto's Clam House in Little Italy, Manhattan
.
and Carmine's brother Theodore Persico. In 1979, Carmine Persico was released from federal prison.
On August 11, 1981, Carmine Persico pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge of attempting to bribe an Internal Revenue Service
special agent from 1977 through 1978 while in federal custody. The evidence included a recording of Persico offering the agent $250,000 in exchange for getting Persico an early release from prison. On November 9, 1981, Persico was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
list. Persico designated Gennaro Langella
as acting boss. On February 15, 1985, Persico was arrested at a cousin's house in Wantagh, New York
.
On July 2, 1985, Persico was indicted, along with other New York Cosa Nostra leaders, on a second set of racketeering charges as part of the "Commission Trial". The aim of prosecutors was to strike at all the crime families at once using their involvement in the Mafia Commission
. According to Colombo hitman and FBI informant Gregory Scarpa, in late 1986 Persico and Gambino boss John Gotti
backed a plan to kill the leading prosecutor and future New York City mayor Rudolph Guiliani, but it was rejected by the rest of the Commission.
(he was using an attorney for the Colombo trial). Persico believed that his history of convictions gave him sufficient experience to defend himself. His co-defendants vehemently disagreed with this decision, and the judge warned Persico that he would be waiving "incompetent counsel" as the grounds for an appeal. Persico received a help counsel of lawyers to help guide him when the prosecutors asked him questions. Persico tried to project a friendly image to the jury and urged them to put aside any preconceptions about "the Mafia
" or "Cosa Nostra", Many believe that Persico inadvertently sabotaged his own defense by acknowledging criminal activities during his cross-examination
s of prosecution witnesses.
On June 14, 1986, Persico was convicted of racketeering in the Colombo Trial. On November 17, 1986, Persico was sentenced to 39 years in prison in the Colombo Trial. On November 19, 1986, Persico and the other Commission Trial defendants were convicted of all charges. On January 13, 1987, a judge sentenced Persico to 100 years in prison as part of the Mafia Commission
trial. Persico was sent to United States Penitentiary, Marion
Federal Penitentiary near Marion, Illinois
to serve both the Colombo Trial and Commission Trial sentences.
to kill lawyer William Aronwald, a retired prosecutor who had allegedly been disrespectful to the Cosa Nostra. Cacace delegated the job to two hitmen who mistakenly killed the target's father, George Aronwald. In response to outrage from the other New York families, Cacace recruited two more gunmen to kill the first hit team. After those murders were accomplished, Cacace killed the second set of gunmen. In 2004, Cacace would plead guilty to the Aronwald murder. No charges were filed against Carmine Persico.
, a loyal capo from Brooklyn, as the temporary acting boss. As he made it clear to the family, Orena would resign as acting boss when Carmine's son Alphonse Persico
was released from prison.
In 1990, the government transferred Carmine Persico to what was then the United States Penitentiary, Lompoc, in Lompoc, California
. While at Lompoc, Persico established an Italian Cultural Club for the inmates. He socialized with people such as Patriarca crime family
consigliere Joseph Russo and Lucchese crime family
associate Anthony Senter
. Persico formed the "Lompoc Four", a band in which Russo played guitar and Persico played drums.
By 1991, Orena had became disgruntled with the current leadership scheme. Orena was tired of the constant stream of orders that he received from Persico in prison. He also resented the idea of eventually surrendering his control to Alphonse Persico. Gambino boss John Gotti
encouraged Orena's rebellion, hoping to depose one of his enemies, Carmine Persico, from the Mafia Commission
. Gotti went so far as to label Persico a "rat", the worst possible accusation for a Cosa Nostra figure.
In the spring of 1991, Orena made his move. He requested that consigliere Carmine Sessa
quietly poll all the Colombo capos as to who they wanted as boss. However, Sessa did not poll the capos, but instead told Carmine Persico about Orena's plot. Persico then allegedly ordered Sessa to lead a team to kill Orena.
On June 20, 1991, a five-man hit team led by Sessa parked on the street close to Orena's home on Long Island
and waited for Orena to come home. As he was driving down the street, Orena recognized the men in the car and quickly sped away. For the next several months, the Persico and Orena factions engaged in peace negotiations brokered by the Mafia Commission
. Despite Carmine Persico's claim as the legitimate boss, the Commission refused to take sides in the Colombo Conflict.
sent a hit team to try and kill Persico's top hitman, Gregory Scarpa, on a Brooklyn Street. By the end of 1991, the two Colombo factions had traded several successful murder attempts. Responding to public outrage over the carnage, law enforcement threw resources into prosecuting the Colombo mobsters, resulting in 68 indictments, 58 convictions and ten mobsters turning states evidence.
In December 1992, Orena was convicted of racketeering and murder and was sentenced to life in prison, dissolving his belligerent faction and leaving the Persicos in control again.
was released from prison, Persico disbanded the committee and designated Russo as acting boss. In 1996, Russo went to prison and Persico replaced him with his son Alphonse. In early 1999, with Alphonse in legal trouble, Persico made Joel Cacace
the acting boss.
However, later in 1999, either Carmine or Alphonse Persico ordered Cutolo's murder. The recently released Alphonse Persico was facing new federal charges that threatened to send him back to prison, and they were worried about Cutolo seizing control of the family. On May 26, 1999, Alphonse Persico ordered Cutolo to meet him at a Brooklyn Park. Cutolo was then taken to a mob associate's apartment, murdered, and his body buried in Long Island
. Police would not recover the body until November 2008.
In 2004, with the conversion of Lompoc into a different correctional facility, the government transferred Carmine Persico to the Federal Correctional Complex, Butner, a medium correctional facility in North Carolina
.
On December 28, 2007, in a second trial, Alphonse Persico and DeRoss were convicted of Cutolo's murder. Like his father, Alphonse Persico was sentenced to life in prison.
, the acting underboss is Benjamin Castellazzo and the consigliere is Richard Fusco.
In March 2010, the Reuters
News Agency reported that Carmine Persico had been socializing in prison with convicted swindler Bernard Madoff
. The New York Post
also reported that Persico loves to play pinochle
and bocce
with other mobsters and regale them with stories from his past.
As of October 2011, Carmine Persico is serving life imprisonment at the Butner Federal Correctional Institution
(FCI) Medium in Butner, North Carolina
. His projected release date is March 20, 2050, effectively a life sentence. New York Times journalist and Five Families author Selwyn Raab
has credited Persico's struggle to protect his position with destroying the Colombo family,
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
) also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the de-facto boss
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
of the Colombo crime family
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
since the early 1970s. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
without parole since 1987.
Background
Carmine John Persico, Jr. was born on August 8, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, to Carmine John Persico, Sr. and Susan Plantamura. Carmine Persico, Jr. is the brother of Colombo capos Theodore Persico and Alphonse Persico (died in 1989), and of Dolores Persico. Carmine Persico's son is Colombo underboss Alphonse PersicoAlphonse Persico
Alphonse T. Persico, known as Little Allie Boy or just Allie Boy, is a former acting boss of the Colombo crime family from the 1980s and 1990s. He is not to be confused with his uncle of the same name, who was also a Colombo family mobster known as "Allie Boy", who died in 1989.-Background:Born in...
, commonly known as "Allie Boy". Carmine Persico Jr.'s nephew is Theodore Persico, Jr.
Carmine Persico, Sr. was a legal stenographer for several law firms in Manhattan and provided his family with a comfortable living. The Persico family lived in the Carroll Gardens and Red Hook
Red Hook
-Places:*Red Hook, Brooklyn, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City, USA*Red Hook, New York, a town in Dutchess county in the State of New York, USA*Red Hook , New York, a village in the Town of Red Hook, New York, USA...
sections of Brooklyn. Carmine Persico Jr. dropped out of high school at age 16. By then, he was a leader of the Garfield Boys, a Brooklyn street gang. However, one contemporary source says that in 1950 the 16 year-old Persico actually belonged to the South Brooklyn Boys, a successor gang to the Garfield Boys. In March 1951, the 17 year-old Persico was arrested on charges of fatally beating another youth in Prospect Park
Prospect Park
Prospect Park may refer to:* Prospect Park , a park in Brooklyn, New York, United States* Prospect Park , a park in Troy, New York, United States...
in Brooklyn. However, all charges were eventually dropped.
In the early 1950s, Profaci crime family capo Frank Abbatemarco recruited Carmine Persico Jr. into the crime family. At first, Perscio did bookmaking and loansharking, then moved into burglaries and hijackings. During this decade, Persico was arrested over 12 times, but spent only a few days in jail. Persico also started working with Joseph Gallo
Joseph Gallo
Joseph Gallo may refer to:*Joseph Edward Gallo, cheese producer, brother of winemakers Ernest and Julio Gallo*Joseph N. Gallo, American gangster, consigliere of the Gambino crime family...
and his brothers Albert and Lawrence.
Anastasia Murder
In 1957, Persico allegedly participated in the murder of Albert AnastasiaAlbert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
, the former leader of Murder Inc. and the boss of what was then the Anastasia crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
. Anastasia's underboss Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino
"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
wanted control of the family and conspired with his allies, Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
boss Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
and Profaci boss Joseph Profaci to kill Anastasia. Profaci allegedly gave the job to Persico and the Gallo brothers.
On October 25, 1957, Anastasia entered the barber shop of the Park Sheraton Hotel (now the Park Central Hotel) in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
. As Anastasia relaxed in the barber chair, two men – scarves covering their faces – rushed in, shoved the barber out of the way, and fired at Anastasia. After the first volley of bullets, Anastasia allegedly lunged at his killers. However, the stunned Anastasia had actually attacked the gunmen's reflections in the wall mirror of the barber shop. The gunmen continued firing and finally killed Anastasia.
No one was ever charged in the Anastasia killing, and there is an alternative theory that gunmen from the Patriarca crime family
Patriarca crime family
The Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
of New England performed the hit. In 1984, Persico allegedly boasted of the crime to a relative:
"The FBI knows who really hurt Anastasia. But that fag Crazy Joe Gallo took the credit."
The Gallo Faction
By the late 1950s, Persico and the Gallos were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Profaci's leadership. Profaci demanded high tribute payments from the family members and was viewed by them as a wealthy autocrat. The first Colombo war started on November 4, 1959, when Profaci's gunmen murdered Frank Abbatemarco on a Brooklyn street. Abbatemarco had stopped paying tribute to Profaci earlier that year with the support of the Gallo faction. It is speculated that Gambino boss Carlo Gambino and Lucchese crime familyLucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
Tommy Lucchese
Tommy Lucchese
Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese , also known as "Tom Brown" or "Three-Finger Brown", was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City...
were encouraging the Gallos to challenge Profaci, their enemy. When Profaci took Abbatemarco's lucrative rackets away from the Gallos, the warfare began.
In February 1961, the Gallo faction kidnapped Profaci underboss Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco, also known as "Joe Malayak" was a New York mobster and the boss of the Profaci crime family from 1962 to 1963...
and capo Joseph Colombo
Joseph Colombo
Joseph "Joe" Colombo, Sr. was the boss of the Colombo crime family, one of the "Five Families" of the Cosa Nostra in New York.-Background:...
. After several weeks of negotiation, the Gallos reached an agreement with Profaci and released the two captives. However, six months later, Profaci reneged on the deal and war broke out again between the Gallos and the Profaci family.
Changing Sides
In August 1961, Persico betrayed the Gallo faction and attempted to murder Larry Gallo. Profaci had secretely contacted Persico and offered him some very lucrative rackets if he would switch sides. Persico agreed. On August 12, 1961, Larry Gallo met with Persico at the Sahara Lounge in Brooklyn to discuss war strategy. When Gallo arrived, Persico's men attacked him and Persico started strangling Gallo with a garroteGarrote
A garrote or garrote vil is a handheld weapon, most often referring to a ligature of chain, rope, scarf, wire or fishing line used to strangle someone....
. However, a passing policeman witnessed the attack, forcing Persico and his men to flee. Persico supposedly gained the nickname "Snake" from this act of treachery. Persico was indicted later that year for attempted murder of Gallo, but the charges were dropped when Gallo refused to testify.
On June 6, 1962, Profaci died of cancer and Maglicco became the new family boss. However, the war with the Gallo faction continued.
In early 1963, the Gallos bombed Persico's car, but he escaped with minor injuries. On May 19, 1963, Gallo gunmen ambushed Persico in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. A panel truck pulled alongside Persico's car and two men shot Persico in the face, hand, and shoulder. Persico reportedly spat out the bullet that had entered his face.
Soon after the May attempt on his life, Persico was imprisoned on extortion charges. By the fall of 1963, with Joey Gallo in prison also, the shooting war had ended with Magliocco the winner.
In late 1963, after an unsuccessful attempt to take over the Mafia Commission, Magliocco was forced out of the family. He was replaced by Joseph Colombo, who had alerted the Commission to Magliocco's plot. The Profaci crime family was now the Colombo crime family. In turn, Colombo rewarded the imprisoned Persico by naming him a capo.
Profitable crew
After becoming Caporegime, Persico was constantly on the streets. Government witness Joe Valachi later testified that "Whenever business on the streets, Persico was always there". Persico was involved in labor racketeering, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling, hijacking and especially murder for hire. By the later 1960s, Persico's crew was one of the most profitable crews in the Colombo family.In 1968, Persico was convicted on federal hijacking charges after five separate trials dating back to 1960. On January 27, 1971, Persico was finally sent to prison on these charges, where he would spend eight years. The trial was noted for the only appearance of former mobster Joseph Valachi as a prosecution witness.
Colombo and Gallo Shootings
In February 1971, Joey Gallo was released from prison. On June 28, 1971, Colombo was shot and severely wounded at the second annual Italian-American Civil Rights LeagueItalian-American Civil Rights League
The Italian-American Civil Rights League was formed as a political group in and around New York City in the early 1970s. Its stated goal was to combat pejorative stereotypes about Italian-Americans....
rally in Manhattan. The shooter, Jerome Johnson, was immediately shot to death by Colombo's bodyguards. Colombo survived in a paralyzed state until his death on May 22, 1978. Police concluded that Johnson was the sole shooter. Law enforcement and the Mafia assumed Gallo had organized the hit; Gallo had built ties with African-American gangsters and, upon his release, threatened to start another gang war unless he received $100,000 compensation.
On November 11, 1971, Persico went on trial in state court on 37 counts of usuary, coercion, extortion, and conspiracy, all stemming from a loansharking operation out of a Manhattan fur shop. On December 8, 1971, a jury acquitted Persico of all charges; all 12 prosecutions witnesses said they could not identify Persico.
After the Colombo shooting, underboss Joseph Yacovelli assumed the role of acting boss. However, the Persico family essentially took control of the Colombos on the then-imprisoned Carmine's behalf, with Carmine himself coordinating the suppression of the Gallos. On April 7, 1972, Gallo was shot and killed by Persico gunmen as he was celebrating his birthday at Umberto's Clam House in Little Italy, Manhattan
Little Italy, Manhattan
Little Italy is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City, once known for its large population of Italians. Today the neighborhood of Little Italy consists of Italian stores and restaurants.-Historical area:...
.
Prison
In 1973, Persico was imprisoned on hijacking and loansharking charges. Persico's imprisonment coincided with the release of his brother Alphonse from 17 years in prison. Carmine Persico designated his brother Alphonse acting boss with support from Gennaro LangellaGennaro Langella
Gennaro Adriano Langella also known as "Gerry Lang", is a member of the Colombo crime family who eventually became underboss and acting boss.-Background:...
and Carmine's brother Theodore Persico. In 1979, Carmine Persico was released from federal prison.
On August 11, 1981, Carmine Persico pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge of attempting to bribe an Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
special agent from 1977 through 1978 while in federal custody. The evidence included a recording of Persico offering the agent $250,000 in exchange for getting Persico an early release from prison. On November 9, 1981, Persico was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Federal fugitive
On October 14, 1984, Carmine Persico and the rest of the Colombo family leadership were indicted on multiple racketeering charges as part of the "Colombo Trial". After the indictment was published, Persico went into hiding. On October 26, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began a national manhunt for Persico. On January 31, 1985 the FBI named Persico as the 390th Fugitive to be added to the Ten Most WantedFBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, 1980s
The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives during the 1980s is a list, maintained for a fourth decade, of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.-FBI headlines in the 1980s:...
list. Persico designated Gennaro Langella
Gennaro Langella
Gennaro Adriano Langella also known as "Gerry Lang", is a member of the Colombo crime family who eventually became underboss and acting boss.-Background:...
as acting boss. On February 15, 1985, Persico was arrested at a cousin's house in Wantagh, New York
Wantagh, New York
Wantagh is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States...
.
On July 2, 1985, Persico was indicted, along with other New York Cosa Nostra leaders, on a second set of racketeering charges as part of the "Commission Trial". The aim of prosecutors was to strike at all the crime families at once using their involvement in the Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission may refer to:*Sicilian Mafia Commission*The Commission *Mafia Commission Trial...
. According to Colombo hitman and FBI informant Gregory Scarpa, in late 1986 Persico and Gambino boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
backed a plan to kill the leading prosecutor and future New York City mayor Rudolph Guiliani, but it was rejected by the rest of the Commission.
Colombo and Commission trials
At the start of the Commission trial, Persico decided to serve as his own lawyerPro se legal representation in the United States
Pro se legal representation means advocating on one's own behalf before a court, rather than being represented by a lawyer. This may occur in any court proceeding, whether one is the defendant or plaintiff in civil cases, and when one is a defendant in criminal cases. Pro se is a Latin phrase...
(he was using an attorney for the Colombo trial). Persico believed that his history of convictions gave him sufficient experience to defend himself. His co-defendants vehemently disagreed with this decision, and the judge warned Persico that he would be waiving "incompetent counsel" as the grounds for an appeal. Persico received a help counsel of lawyers to help guide him when the prosecutors asked him questions. Persico tried to project a friendly image to the jury and urged them to put aside any preconceptions about "the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
" or "Cosa Nostra", Many believe that Persico inadvertently sabotaged his own defense by acknowledging criminal activities during his cross-examination
Cross-examination
In law, cross-examination is the interrogation of a witness called by one's opponent. It is preceded by direct examination and may be followed by a redirect .- Variations by Jurisdiction :In...
s of prosecution witnesses.
On June 14, 1986, Persico was convicted of racketeering in the Colombo Trial. On November 17, 1986, Persico was sentenced to 39 years in prison in the Colombo Trial. On November 19, 1986, Persico and the other Commission Trial defendants were convicted of all charges. On January 13, 1987, a judge sentenced Persico to 100 years in prison as part of the Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission may refer to:*Sicilian Mafia Commission*The Commission *Mafia Commission Trial...
trial. Persico was sent to United States Penitentiary, Marion
United States Penitentiary, Marion
The United States Penitentiary is a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility located in Southern Precinct, unincorporated Williamson County, Illinois. The facility is located south of Marion, from St. Louis, and from Chicago. It was built in 1963 to replace the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, which...
Federal Penitentiary near Marion, Illinois
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
to serve both the Colombo Trial and Commission Trial sentences.
Revenge
In June 1987, Carmine Persico ordered a murder that would ultimately result in five murders. He ordered acting boss Joel CacaceJoel Cacace
Joel J. Cacace Sr. also known as Joe Waverly is a New York City mobster and acting head of the Colombo crime family. He was convicted of murder and is currently on trial for a second murder.-Career:...
to kill lawyer William Aronwald, a retired prosecutor who had allegedly been disrespectful to the Cosa Nostra. Cacace delegated the job to two hitmen who mistakenly killed the target's father, George Aronwald. In response to outrage from the other New York families, Cacace recruited two more gunmen to kill the first hit team. After those murders were accomplished, Cacace killed the second set of gunmen. In 2004, Cacace would plead guilty to the Aronwald murder. No charges were filed against Carmine Persico.
Brooklyn rivalry
In 1988, soon after his final imprisonment, Carmine Persico dissolved the three-man ruling panel that was running the family and designated Vittorio "Vic" OrenaVictor Orena
Vittorio "Little Vic" Orena is a New York City mobster who became the temporary acting boss of the Colombo crime family. When an attempt by Greg ScarpaVittorio "Little Vic" Orena (born August 4, 1934) is a New York City mobster who became the temporary acting boss of the Colombo crime family. When...
, a loyal capo from Brooklyn, as the temporary acting boss. As he made it clear to the family, Orena would resign as acting boss when Carmine's son Alphonse Persico
Alphonse Persico
Alphonse T. Persico, known as Little Allie Boy or just Allie Boy, is a former acting boss of the Colombo crime family from the 1980s and 1990s. He is not to be confused with his uncle of the same name, who was also a Colombo family mobster known as "Allie Boy", who died in 1989.-Background:Born in...
was released from prison.
In 1990, the government transferred Carmine Persico to what was then the United States Penitentiary, Lompoc, in Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
. While at Lompoc, Persico established an Italian Cultural Club for the inmates. He socialized with people such as Patriarca crime family
Patriarca crime family
The Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
consigliere Joseph Russo and Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
associate Anthony Senter
Anthony Senter
Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa, better known the Gemini twins are two mobsters in the Lucchese crime family. Senter and Testa are former members of the DeMeo crew in the Gambino crime family...
. Persico formed the "Lompoc Four", a band in which Russo played guitar and Persico played drums.
By 1991, Orena had became disgruntled with the current leadership scheme. Orena was tired of the constant stream of orders that he received from Persico in prison. He also resented the idea of eventually surrendering his control to Alphonse Persico. Gambino boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
encouraged Orena's rebellion, hoping to depose one of his enemies, Carmine Persico, from the Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission may refer to:*Sicilian Mafia Commission*The Commission *Mafia Commission Trial...
. Gotti went so far as to label Persico a "rat", the worst possible accusation for a Cosa Nostra figure.
In the spring of 1991, Orena made his move. He requested that consigliere Carmine Sessa
Carmine Sessa
Carmine Sessa is an Italian-American mobster and hitman who became the consigliere of the Brooklyn-based Colombo crime family and played a key role in the family from 1991 to 1993. Sessa later became a government witness.-Murders:...
quietly poll all the Colombo capos as to who they wanted as boss. However, Sessa did not poll the capos, but instead told Carmine Persico about Orena's plot. Persico then allegedly ordered Sessa to lead a team to kill Orena.
On June 20, 1991, a five-man hit team led by Sessa parked on the street close to Orena's home on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and waited for Orena to come home. As he was driving down the street, Orena recognized the men in the car and quickly sped away. For the next several months, the Persico and Orena factions engaged in peace negotiations brokered by the Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission
Mafia Commission may refer to:*Sicilian Mafia Commission*The Commission *Mafia Commission Trial...
. Despite Carmine Persico's claim as the legitimate boss, the Commission refused to take sides in the Colombo Conflict.
Third Colombo war
On November 18, 1991, the Third Colombo War started when Orena lieutenant William CutoloWilliam Cutolo
William Cutolo , also known as "Billy Fingers" and "Wild Bill", was a Brooklyn mobster in the Colombo crime family who committed several murders and was heavily involved in labor racketeering...
sent a hit team to try and kill Persico's top hitman, Gregory Scarpa, on a Brooklyn Street. By the end of 1991, the two Colombo factions had traded several successful murder attempts. Responding to public outrage over the carnage, law enforcement threw resources into prosecuting the Colombo mobsters, resulting in 68 indictments, 58 convictions and ten mobsters turning states evidence.
In December 1992, Orena was convicted of racketeering and murder and was sentenced to life in prison, dissolving his belligerent faction and leaving the Persicos in control again.
Changing family structure
With the end of the war with Orena, Persico had to set up another ruling structure for the family. Since Alphonse Persico was facing prosecution on new charges, Carmine Persico installed a ruling committee. This committee consisted of brother Theodore Persico, mobster Joseph Baudanza and Joseph Tomasello. In 1994, when Andrew RussoAndrew Russo
Andrew C. Russo is an American pianist. Russo was born in Syracuse, New York, and studied music in New York City and Europe. He started a nonprofit youth educational foundation in New York at the age of 25 and recorded albums in the 2000s. In 2005, Russo became director of music at Le Moyne...
was released from prison, Persico disbanded the committee and designated Russo as acting boss. In 1996, Russo went to prison and Persico replaced him with his son Alphonse. In early 1999, with Alphonse in legal trouble, Persico made Joel Cacace
Joel Cacace
Joel J. Cacace Sr. also known as Joe Waverly is a New York City mobster and acting head of the Colombo crime family. He was convicted of murder and is currently on trial for a second murder.-Career:...
the acting boss.
However, later in 1999, either Carmine or Alphonse Persico ordered Cutolo's murder. The recently released Alphonse Persico was facing new federal charges that threatened to send him back to prison, and they were worried about Cutolo seizing control of the family. On May 26, 1999, Alphonse Persico ordered Cutolo to meet him at a Brooklyn Park. Cutolo was then taken to a mob associate's apartment, murdered, and his body buried in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Police would not recover the body until November 2008.
Life sentence for Alphonse Persico
On December 20, 2001, Alphonse Persico pleaded guilty to the loansharking charges, accepted a 13-year prison sentence, and agreed to forfeit $1 million. On October 14, 2004, Alphonse Persico was indicted on federal racketeering charges, including conspiring to murder Cutolo and Joe Campanella. No charges were filed against Carmine Persico However, the Cutolo murder trial ended in a mistrial due to juror deadlock.In 2004, with the conversion of Lompoc into a different correctional facility, the government transferred Carmine Persico to the Federal Correctional Complex, Butner, a medium correctional facility in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
On December 28, 2007, in a second trial, Alphonse Persico and DeRoss were convicted of Cutolo's murder. Like his father, Alphonse Persico was sentenced to life in prison.
Current leadership
As of 2011, Carmine Persico is still the official boss of the Colombo crime family. His current street boss is Andrew Russo, his official underboss is former rival John FranzeseJohn Franzese
John "Sonny" Franzese, Sr. , is a longtime member and the current Underboss of the Colombo crime family. Arguably, Franzese has been famous as the current oldest active member of the American Mafia...
, the acting underboss is Benjamin Castellazzo and the consigliere is Richard Fusco.
In March 2010, the Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
News Agency reported that Carmine Persico had been socializing in prison with convicted swindler Bernard Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
. The New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
also reported that Persico loves to play pinochle
Pinochle
Pinochle or Binocle is a trick-taking game typically for two to four players and played with a 48 card deck. Derived from the card game bezique, players score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of cards into melds. It is thus considered part of a "trick-and-meld" category...
and bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
with other mobsters and regale them with stories from his past.
As of October 2011, Carmine Persico is serving life imprisonment at the Butner Federal Correctional Institution
Butner Federal Correctional Institution
Federal Correctional Complex, Butner is a U.S. federal prison complex located in Butner, North Carolina, United States, about northwest of Raleigh, the state capital.-Facilities:The complex consists of four facilities:...
(FCI) Medium in Butner, North Carolina
Butner, North Carolina
Butner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census]. Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007. A bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly incorporating the town was signed by Gov. Mike Easley on...
. His projected release date is March 20, 2050, effectively a life sentence. New York Times journalist and Five Families author Selwyn Raab
Selwyn Raab
-Books:*Justice in the Back Room*Mob Lawyer*Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires -References:...
has credited Persico's struggle to protect his position with destroying the Colombo family,
"He wanted a dynasty. His deceitful schemes culminated in a debacle."