Reputed Bonanno family consigliere John “Porky” Zancocchio was granted his release after claiming that prison food was killing him.
The 60-year-old mobster was indicted back in January along with other alleged members of the New York Mafia on various charges including racketeering conspiracy previously reported here. He was released on $1 million bail but was put on home confinement although it only took a month for the Bonanno crime family wiseguy to screw it up. In February he violated his bail restrictions by visiting various Staten Island locations without permission from the court.
Zancocchio was granted permission to attend the wake and burial of his aunt in Staten Island. Once it ended instead of returning home as ordered he decided to stop by the bar at the Bella Mama Rose restaurant. He is the alleged co-owner the bar along with fellow Cosa Nostra wiseguy Frank Camuso a capo in the Gambino family. The very next day he took a trip to a Staten Island bakery called Denino and greeted several people according to the feds. Visting these places after a funeral was a family tradition according to his daughter. But the judge wasn’t buying it and revoked the Bonanno family mobsters bail.
He was sent to the Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center but says since his stay there is damaging his already poor health. According to his lawyer, he suffers from various ailments including chronic diabetes and thyroid issues. His health issues require him to get a special diet and exercise which he has been unable to get while in jail. The judge agreed to release Porky so he could seek a healthier diet although he ordered him to wear a GPS-tracking device. Getting released on a food-related defense is an odd one even for the Mafia.
So it seems like the longtime Bonanno family loanshark and bookmaker who was once Pete Rose’s bookie will be able to dine more favorably at least for the time being. If convicted he could be facing a long stretch behind bars regardless of the food!
