What's up with sonny Franzese suppose to be released

[Carlo]

The nation's oldest federal prisoner is about to go free.
By Chuck Goudie and the ABC7 I-Team

100-year-old Colombo crime family underboss John Franzese is scheduled for release on June 25.


"Sonny," as he is known in New York gangland circles, is at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts finishing up an 8-year sentence for racketeering.

Franzese's attorneys ignored calls and emails from the ABC7 I-Team concerning his impending release, his health and his future plans into his next century.

However, the one-time mob brute may not be overly aware of his change in surroundings anyway. He is said to be blind, deaf, and in need of a wheelchair. That also means he is unlikely to return to his high post atop one of New York's most feared Mafia families.

In addition to being the oldest guy in the clink, Franzese is also the oldest Mafiosi ever locked up. By comparison, Chicago Outfit bosses currently behind bars are spring chickens. Mobster Joey "the Clown" Lombardo holds the current title at 88 and is in for life.

Underboss James "Little Jimmy" Marcello is 73, also on a federal life sentence.

When Franzese is cut loose, there will be no other centenarian behind bars in the federal system. The next-oldest inmate is Salvatore Sparacio, 95, according to Justin Long, spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington.

Sparacio is also a mob boss, but from Philadelphia. He is scheduled for release before reaching age 100, so Franzese's record will remain intact for now.

Franzese was born in Naples, Italy in 1917. That was the year the U.S. entered World War 1 and the U.S. president was Woodrow Wilson. Al Capone hadn't even moved to Chicago yet.

But the Franzese family saga is not one for the Hallmark Channel.

It is a long-life story laced with bank robberies and murders, payoffs and cover-ups; all the favorite tools and techniques of organized crime. The FBI once labeled him as "super-Dillinger," after the Depression-era gangster John Dillinger who was cut down by federal agents outside Chicago's Biograph Theatre.

In 1942 he was released from the U.S. Army because of "homicidal tendencies" according to federal investigators. Evidence in one of his criminal trials suggested he may have murdered as many as 50 people during his career as a Mafia enforcer.

Investigators say he would paint the tips of his fingers with nail polish to avoid leaving prints at crime scenes.

New York mobologists say that Franzese tried to keep track of his homicidal conquests but there were so many he lost count. Once he was overheard on FBI tapes discussing the chopping up of victims in a backyard kiddie pool and then drying out the pieces in his microwave.

Franzese's own son and namesake testified against him at his last trial in 2010. John Franzese, Jr. appeared for the government and helped to convince jurors that his father was not the ailing old man who appeared in court. Once during his son's testimony Sonny Franzese appeared to fall asleep-prompting some to refer to him as the "Nodfather."

A year ago, when the geriatric mobster wanted early release from prison on "compassionate" grounds, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn found no such mercy. Authorities ignored his hand-written note claiming he had "little time left in my life" and that he wanted to spend it with his eight children, 18 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Franzese was made to finish his sentence for shaking down strip clubs and a pizzeria.

The most stunning fact about Franzese may simply be that he has survived so many decades in mobdom, considering that he possesses so many underworld secrets.


Many of his much younger counterparts have preceded him in death, at the hands of other gangsters. From Joey Gallo, Paul Castellano, Albert Anastasia and Carmine Galante in New York to more than 1100 mob murder victims in Chicago since 1919. And of course John Gotti who died in prison of poor health at age 61.

[Dwalin2014]

He is said to be blind, deaf, and in need of a wheelchair.

And I hoped he was still in good form and maybe would go active again. It would have been quite interesting, as long as no innocents are getting killed. If those strip club owners got threatened a little during those extortions, they could consider this as a "fine" to pay for immorality

But if he is blind, deaf and on a wheelchair, how did he manage NOT TO GET an earlier release? If it was just the wheelchair or just being blind, at least they could say "there have been mobsters on wheelchairs still ordering murders" etc. But with all those 3 things together, he is definitely inactive by default. A pity...Now the strip club owners will start corrupting society again with no more obstacles I hoped maybe he could also pull off some huge fraud, but in these conditions this is also impossible unless he gets obsessed with the idea, and I doubt it

[Pogo The Clown]

Franzese was born in Naples, Italy in 1917. That was the year the U.S. entered World War 1 and the U.S. president was Woodrow Wilson. Al Capone hadn't even moved to Chicago yet.

Really puts into perspective just how old he is.

In 1942 he was released from the U.S. Army because of "homicidal tendencies" according to federal investigators.

Well they weren't wrong.


Pogo

[Teddy Persico]

Many of his much younger counterparts have preceded him in death, at the hands of other gangsters. From Joey Gallo, Paul Castellano, Albert Anastasia and Carmine Galante in New York to more than 1100 mob murder victims in Chicago since 1919.

110 people a year were killed in Chicago due to mob violence?

[Etna]

How many hits does Franzese have under his belt?

[Wiseguy]

How many hits does Franzese have under his belt?

"I killed a lot of guys..you're not talking about four, five, six, ten." - Sonny Franzese

[Villain]

Many of his much younger counterparts have preceded him in death, at the hands of other gangsters. From Joey Gallo, Paul Castellano, Albert Anastasia and Carmine Galante in New York to more than 1100 mob murder victims in Chicago since 1919.

110 people a year were killed in Chicago due to mob violence?

Not exactly but...yeah. During the 1970's they had almost 80 Outfit-related hits (im not considering the rest of the mob violence). So image what was going on during the days of Prohibition or later...for example during the first years such as in 1923, there were allegedly over 200 gang slayings

[SonnyBlackstein]

What's the bet he kicks the bucket on the eve of the 24th...

[tmarotta]

Not trying to derail the thread but is this the first time James Marcello has been identified as underboss? Considering his life sentence and the fact that his guys on the street are either dead (Tony Zizzo) or they answer to someone else like Mike Sarno before he was convicted. I'm hoping Snakes or one of the other Outfit experts might be able to shed some light on this.

Sonny, I would give Franzese a year. Then again these guys always seem to make remarkable recoveries once they get released.

[furiofromnaples]

Many of his much younger counterparts have preceded him in death, at the hands of other gangsters. From Joey Gallo, Paul Castellano, Albert Anastasia and Carmine Galante in New York to more than 1100 mob murder victims in Chicago since 1919.

110 people a year were killed in Chicago due to mob violence?

Read this viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2614 from the 1970s the Outfit killed over 100 people.

[dixiemafia]

I think it's funny the government figured he was in for life with that sentence and yet he'll walk out (well maybe not walk). Watch him die next week now.

[gohnjotti]

Strange that the article didn't mention his son, Michael, a capo who pocketed untold millions from gasoline bootlegging, then peacefully left the mob and became a preacher. I always find Michael's story really cool and interesting.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Religion.
The biggest racket of them all.

[BillyBrizzi]

Religion.
The biggest racket of them all.

Truth.

[Villain]

To tell you the truth...i think that Mike made the scheme of the century, I mean he achieved the real so-called old meaning of the whole Mafia thing. And that particular meaning used to be that all Mafia members should made money, obviously if they can, and after that mingle with society's normal and higher circles and become legit. My opinion is that the Mafia should've been only a "stepping stone" for those who were not able to manage their lives through legitimate ways, and later with the help of illegal cash, to "wash away" their sins and become clean, for themselves and their families. According to Mob legends, Frank Costello was one of those guys who was one of the biggest bosses of them all, but on the other hand, I believe that Mike did it and Costello failed. But looks like the famous saying its true in most cases, once a criminal, always a criminal