Michael Persico the son of legendary Colombo crime family boss Carmine “The Snake” Persico was sentenced to five years behind bars on loansharking charges.
Prosecutors believed that Persico deserved at least three years in prison according to federal guidelines after pleading guilty to the loansharking charge but Judge Dora Irizarry hit the mafia scion with an even harsher sentence. The judge factored in uncharged acts including Persico’s link to the 1993 mob hit of Joseph Scopo that took place during a bloody Colombo family war according to the NY Daily News report. The Judge told Persico that the Scopo hit was “part of protecting your family and your family’s role in the Colombo crime family.”
“Michael Persico”
She also said that she believed that prosecutors had proven Persico’s role in the murder by “more than a preponderance of the evidence” along with other criminal acts. Michael now 60 years old will join his older brother and one-time acting boss Alphonse “Allie Boy” Persico behind bars. Carmine is currently serving a 139-year sentence while Allie Boy is serving a life sentence. The feds still consider Carmine to hold the rank of the official boss from behind bars and extended family ties and loyalties have allowed the Persico’s to maintain their grip on the Cosa Nostra family. Could the Perisco families influence finally be losing steam and potentially coming to an end opening up the possibility of a new era of leaders?
While some of the other New York Mafia families have found a way to stabilize themselves at least to some extent under new administrations over the last few years the Colombo’s have seemingly found it to be a bit more difficult and remain one of the weaker organized crime family in the city.
