Michael Persico the son of imprisoned Colombo crime family boss Carmine Persico is finally facing sentencing on Tuesday three years after copping a plea deal. The businessman prince of the Colombo family has fought to get out of that sweet plea deal he made with prosecutors claiming they breached the deal with the use of underhanded tactics. In return for pleading guilty Persico would face a recommended term between 37 and 46 months but with a possible maximum of five years. Prosecutors agreed to not seek a sentence above the recommended 46 months and not prosecute him on multiple murder charges, murder conspiracy, and other mob crimes they reportedly had evidence of.
“Michael Perisco“
Persico lawyers claim that prosecutors breached their part of the deal by attributing so many crimes to Persico in sentencing papers in hopes of swaying the sentencing judge. According to the lawyers prosecutors are underhandedly trying to get their client hammered with as much of the five year maximum sentence rather then sticking with the terms of the deals recommended guidelines. Prosecutors have dismissed these claims and told Persico , Fuhgeddaboutit as to his request to back out of the deal.
Judge Townes has already refused Persico’s request to back out of the plea agreement and has ordered the sentencing hearing to handle the unusual situation. Some fireworks are expected as prosecutors plan to put Persico’s former mob pal turncoat Colombo capo Anthony “Big Anthony” Russo on the stand to tie Michael to the murder of former underboss Joseph Scopo. It was the last hit in a bloody Colombo family war that lasted from 1991-1993 and Russo claims he and Francis Guerra were part of a hit team that killed Scopo on orders from Michael.
Russo testified at the trial for Guerra and was unable to convince a jury on that occasion but at this hearing will only need to convince Brooklyn Federal Judge Sandra Townes of Persico’s part in the mafia hit. Prosecutors also plan to call Chance Adam a former FBI agent to testify about an extortionate loan Michael agreed to make with a turncoat mobster and two others. Part of Adams testimony will be a recording of Persico agreeing to the $100,000 loan to turncoat Steven Marcus, James Bombino, and Colombo family captain Theodore “Teddy” Persico.
Even if Persico is forced to stick to the original plea it seems like a pretty sweet outcome for a guy that would be facing multiple murder charges along with added crimes at trial. Many wonder even at the 5 year maximum why Persico doesn’t take advantage of the soft deal which seem to pop up far to often in New York mafia cases for some and be content he didn’t suffer a worse fate.
