Colombo crime family mobster Francis “BF” Guerra was indicted along with Michael Persico and Theodore “Skinny Teddy” Persico for racketeering conspiracy which included two murders in a case which began back in 2012. While the
While the Persico’s both decided to cut plea deals Guerra took his chances in court and was acquitted of both 1990’s mob murders. The case began as a simple labor racketeering case against Michael and Theodore but after Colombo captain Anthony “Big Anthony” Russo turned rat murder charges were added against both Persico’s and Guerra. After his acquittal on the murder charges Guerra was convicted on drug charges for selling his prescription pain meds and was harshly sentenced to 14 years in prison by Brooklyn Federal Judge Sandra Townes.
“Colombo family mobsters Francis Guerra (left) and Anthony Russo (center)“
A plea for relief was filed by Guerra citing lower sentencing guidelines for federal drug convictions which went into effect last year and caught a break. Although it was two years less then his lawyer was seeking Townes did agree to knock 33 months of of her original sentence. Prosecutors urged Townes to retain the original 14 year sentence even though they agreed that the New York mafia associate was eligible for a lesser sentence. Townes said that even though she disagreed with the jury’s not guilty verdict in the mafia murder trial, she made clear she was sending him to prison for his drug conviction and not the acquitted conduct of his 2012 trial.
With the sentence reduction and an added 15% reduction that is built into the federal prison term BF’s new terms translates to a little under a 10 year sentence and is now slated for release in June of 2021. Teddy Persico was sentenced to 12 years behind bars after agreeing to a plea deal. Michael Persico agreed to a plea deal and then filed a motion to have it rescinded, which was ultimately denied by judge Townes in the soap opera like ending to this drawn out case. Michael is facing a maximum sentence of up to five years, althouh his plea agreement calls for a recommended sentence between 37-46 months. His sentencing was delayed in September as Townes took ill but the case has been transferred to a new judge and Persico now awaits a new sentencing date.
