Rockford LCN frontman and associate Nick Vince was born August 26, 1913 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Angelo Vinci and Giuseppa Vaccaro of Camporeale, Sicily. By 1917 the family had moved to Rockford, Illinois and on June 27, 1937 Nick married Martha Brandt in Belvidere, Illinois.
Perhaps led astray by his older brother Charles, who eventually became a made member of the Rockford LCN, Nick took his first arrest when on February 9, 1943 he was arrested in the Chandler Hotel on gambling charges relating to a poker game he was participating in. Also arrested were: Paul “Peachy” Picchioni, 35, John Everly, 50, Sam Chennilaro, 32, Tony Zacharia, 33, Louis Capriola, 41, Frank Giardono, 31, Charles Vince, 35 and Lee Daniels, 48. Picchioni was arrested as “banker” of the game and Charles Vince was listed as the keeper of the gambling house. All men were later acquitted of the charges.
On November 21, 1951 as proprietor of the Auburn Street Tap, 4427 Auburn Street, Nick’s business was broken into and $763 in cash was taken. Authorities said due to evidence, it appeared to be an “inside job” so perhaps Nick “misappropriated” the money and claimed it on his insurance. Also listed as co-owners of the tavern were Frank Tangorra and Tony Zacharia. Once again, on March 14, 1952 Nick reported that two pinball machines and a jukebox were smashed open and $20-$40 was taken although detectives could find no forced entry into the tavern.
By 1954 Nick, along with Joe Rotello were listed as operators of the Country House on South Main Road which by November 1957 Rotello was replaced by Henry Vitale and the business went through a couple more name changes- first as Miller’s Steak House and then Vince’s Lounge. This business was mentioned extensively in Charles Vinces’ FBI files albeit heavily redacted, leading one to believe that illegal activity was going on there.
In the mid-1950s Joe Maggio was not yet a Rockford LCN member, but a later FBI file noted something interesting. It stated, “On November 14, 1967, Detective [REDACTED] Rockford, Illinois Police Department, advised that he has known JOE MAGGIO since [REDACTED]. Detective [REDACTED] said that MAGGIO was not well-liked by the other young men of the neighborhood because he was considered a “stoolie” for the “outfit.” He said that this was because MAGGIO had a reputation for running to NICK VINCE with stories about the “young punks” in South Rockford and kept VINCE posted on their activities.” It seemed that Nick Vince was the ears of the Italian neighborhood and most likely kept his brother Charles informed of the goings-on there.
Sounding like a broken record, on May 5, 1959 Nick reported a break-in and theft of $590 of his business, the West State Fruit Market at 3818 West State Street. The fruit market was previously owned by Rockford LCN member Tony DiGiovanni who operated the market up until a car accident claimed his life on July 22, 1958.
Being utilized as a frontman by Rockford LCN consigliere Joe Zito, Nick was tapped to “own” the Midway Lounge at 5533 N. 2nd Street in Loves Park, Illinois. FBI reports stated that Zito secretly controlled the liquor licenses of at least two dozen Rockford area taverns and operated them through fronts. Branching out yet again, Nick, along with Phil Graceffa became the owners of North Main Liquor at 3004 North Main Street in November 1967.
In December 1968 the federal government used gambling and liquor violations as an excuse to subpoena many Rockford LCN members and associates to testify before the Grand Jury in Freeport, Illinois and Nick was one of those called to testify, although in the end only two minor fines were handed down to two men- Rockford LCN member Phil Emordeno and associate Nello Cellitti. This investigation that played out in the news over the course of a week exposed the Rockford area to its LCN made members such as Joe Zammuto, Frank Buscemi, Joe Zito and Charles Vince as well as associates Nick Vince, Nello Cellitti and Anthony Calcione among others.
In 1969 the Elmain Tavern’s liquor license was in the name of Nick and he returned the license back to the city as the property was bought up to make way for the new Winnebago County Administration building. The Elmain Tavern had been under the control of the Rockford LCN going back to the late 1930s when after the murder of bookie Charles Kalb in 1937, the group opened up a wire race service there and provided wire race service to all the Rockford area bookmakers. Also, that same year of 1969 Nick became an officer along with Peter A. Zammuto of the North Towne Corporation. The North Towne business district was a collection of businesses on the corner of North Main Street and West Riverside Boulevard which included a grocery store that FBI files stated consigliere Joe Zito secretly owned.
Along with Cecil Dunn and Gene Gustin, Nick opened up the Ingersoll Package Goods and Lounge at 4712 West State Street on May 21, 1971 and in July 1972 Nick opened up the popular Maid Rite Sandwich Shop at 5643 N. 2nd Street in Loves Park, Illinois.
In his worst arrest on January 10, 1975 Nick was arrested and charged with contributing to the sexual delinquency of female minors in connection with a teenage sex ring on the near west side of Rockford. Also arrested were James “Jimmy” Capicotte, 51, Frank “Fat Frank” Sparacino, 45 and Joe Inglima, 50. Charged with pandering was Lonnie Hill, 36. Charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor were Georgia Kallas, 25, of Dixon, Illinois, Pat Boekholder, 18, and Judy Cheairs, 35, of 1150 Bruce Street. Cheairs was charged with keeping a house of prostitution as the ring operated out of her home. The ring had operated since September 1974 and involved girls from the Rockford Children’s Home. For this, Vince was found guilty and fined $200.
Nick laid low after that last embarrassing arrest but federal agents thought him a worthy enough subject to photograph as they were surveilling the June 17, 1981 funeral of consigliere Joe Zito as Nick and his wife were observed leaving the Gasparini-Oliveri Funeral Home.
Nick died August 21, 2007 in Rockford at the age of 93.
Rockford LCN Associate Nick Vince- A Profile
Moderator: Capos
Rockford LCN Associate Nick Vince- A Profile
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Re: Rockford LCN Associate Nick Vince- A Profile
Damn, this dude was scum. Probably deserved to be killed but wasn't, maybe because of who his brother was?
Re: Rockford LCN Associate Nick Vince- A Profile
Nick was a great frontman for the Rockford outfit and I'm sure it didn't hurt having a brother who was a capo and acting boss. Sad to say, but Rockford in the 1960s and 1970s was dirty as hell with all the prostitution, porn shops, gambling and other vice. Apparently they trafficked girls and women between Milwaukee, Chicago and Indiana. Other FBI files indicated the family utilized a doctor to perform illegal abortions most likely in relation to the prostitutes.