Onetime Colombo Street Boss Likes His Revenge Served Ice Cold
Ralph F. DeLeo, 82, who departed Federal prison last year on supervised release after serving around 15 years for crimes committed while he was street boss of the Colombo family, was arrested last month for plotting to murder those responsible for convicting him in 2012.
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| DeLeo's goose just might be cooked this time. |
DeLeo, who was chosen to run one of the Five Families as street boss because he was perceived as having no ties to either the Persico or Orena factions, plotted to "murder no fewer than three people who played roles in his most recent criminal conviction," the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston said in a court filing.
DeLeo was "actively planning to kill two current and one former federal official, all of whom were involved in the federal criminal case resulting in DeLeo's 2012 conviction."
According to the court filing, DeLeo was seeking "personal identifying information, including home addresses and names of immediate family members, relating to the federal officials" which he referred to as his "retribution."
FBI agents recovered "hard copy packets" of personal information for the individuals along with "a burglary kit, marijuana, vials of steroids, and a handwritten note regarding silicone masks." The burglary kit contained a pry-bar, mini crowbar, bolt cutters, and lock-picking tools, prosecutors said.
DeLeo was allegedly "actively communicating with known felons," including co-defendants from the racketeering case that put him in prison.
Based on what his attorney says, it almost sounds like prosecutors are describing someone other than DeLeo.
DeLeo was "actively planning to kill two current and one former federal official, all of whom were involved in the federal criminal case resulting in DeLeo's 2012 conviction."
According to the court filing, DeLeo was seeking "personal identifying information, including home addresses and names of immediate family members, relating to the federal officials" which he referred to as his "retribution."
FBI agents recovered "hard copy packets" of personal information for the individuals along with "a burglary kit, marijuana, vials of steroids, and a handwritten note regarding silicone masks." The burglary kit contained a pry-bar, mini crowbar, bolt cutters, and lock-picking tools, prosecutors said.
DeLeo was allegedly "actively communicating with known felons," including co-defendants from the racketeering case that put him in prison.
Based on what his attorney says, it almost sounds like prosecutors are describing someone other than DeLeo.
DeLeo’s attorney Kevin Barron said he is “an ailing and infirm’’ man who is being treated with chemotherapy and is dealing with “a number of other medical problems that need immediate attention.’’
Still, prosecutors sought DeLeo's detention.
"DeLeo's criminal history, which includes a conviction for murder, proves that he is more than capable of acting on his threats," prosecutors said. "DeLeo has been fixated on seeking revenge for years."
At his 2012 trial, in addition to helming the Colombo family, prosecutors said that DeLeo also ran the DeLeo crew, which operated in Massachusetts, Florida, New York, and Arkansas and was engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, and loansharking.
DeLeo was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison, with credit for three years he had already spent in jail while the case was pending.
DeLeo had already flipped and testified before then-boss Alphonse (Little Allie Boy) Persico chose him to be street boss around 2008. At the time, Allie Boy had recently been sentenced to life in prison and was seeking to avoid a repeat of the third Colombo war.
Specifically, DeLeo cooperated in 1977 against a doctor who hired him to kill another doctor. DeLeo, who had been in state and Federal prisons since the late 1960s for bank robbery, made a daring escape from a prison hospital. During this brief sojourn of freedom, DeLeo murdered Dr. Walter Bond in Columbus, Ohio, after Dr. David Ucker paid him to do the dirty deed. Bond was Dr. Ucker's rival for the affections of a certain woman. Although Dr. Bond told him to kill the victim by castrating him and letting him bleed to death, DeLeo shot him in the head and chest instead, snuffing out the doc's life outside his own Livingston Avenue office on Halloween night.
Later, the law caught up to him, and as part of a deal, DeLeo pleaded guilty to the murder and was given 15 years to life. Even though DeLeo testified against Ucker, Ucker was found not guilty in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. But since DeLeo carried out his part of the agreement and testified, a Franklin County prosecutor advocated for his release. So in 1991, then-Governor Richard F. Celeste commuted DeLeo's sentence as one of his last formal acts in office.
DeLeo became a free man in 1997. He kept in touch with Allie and was inducted into the Colombo crime family in 2000, as per sources.
If the Feds have the goods to back up their allegations, it looks like this time old Ralph will wind up dying in a cage.
As For The Colombo War
In early 1991 Carmine Persico announced that his son Allie Boy, upon his release from prison in June 1993, would become boss of the Colombos. The announcement raised tensions between family members loyal to acting boss Vic Orena and those loyal to Persico.
Orena suggested that Colombo consigliere Carmine Sessa disparage Persico to Colombo captains. Specifically, Orena told Sessa to call Persico a "rat" who should be "knocked down."
Sessa reported Orena's slur to Allie Boy's brother/capo Theodore (Skinny Teddy) Persico.
Upon learning of Sessa's disloyalty, Orena planned to kill him at a "making" ceremony for new Mafia members.
In an attempt to build support on the Commission for his moves, Orena launched a campaign to destroy Carmine Persico, calling him a "rat" because Persico had violated the prohibition against admitting the existence of the Mafia code of omertá. He also criticized Persico for providing information to a New York Daily News journalist and for talking to a reporter with CBS's 60 Minutes about appearing on that show.
According to Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, the accusations were the sort that would lead the Commission to label Persico "no better than an informer," a black mark in mob circles that was also fatal.
Alphonse (Little Al) D'Arco and Gravano testified that Orena approached them with a request for assistance in murdering Colombo capo Greg (The Grim Reaper) Scarpa, who Orena suspected was fiercely loyal to Persico. (He was.)
D'Arco was unwilling to provide such assistance without permission from Luchese boss Vic Amuso and underboss Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso, both of whom were fugitives at the time.
Additionally, Gravano was, on Gotti's instructions, to assist Orena. Therefore, his crew monitored Scarpa and was prepared to kill him. They never followed through, however, because Orena retracted his request, having decided that having another family eliminate Scarpa would not look good for him as the boss.
The third Colombo war began in earnest after Carmine Sessa and others made a move against Vic. They waited in a car outside Orena's home on the night of June 20, 1991. Orena spotted them and drove off unharmed.
Still, prosecutors sought DeLeo's detention.
"DeLeo's criminal history, which includes a conviction for murder, proves that he is more than capable of acting on his threats," prosecutors said. "DeLeo has been fixated on seeking revenge for years."
At his 2012 trial, in addition to helming the Colombo family, prosecutors said that DeLeo also ran the DeLeo crew, which operated in Massachusetts, Florida, New York, and Arkansas and was engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, and loansharking.
DeLeo was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison, with credit for three years he had already spent in jail while the case was pending.
DeLeo had already flipped and testified before then-boss Alphonse (Little Allie Boy) Persico chose him to be street boss around 2008. At the time, Allie Boy had recently been sentenced to life in prison and was seeking to avoid a repeat of the third Colombo war.
Specifically, DeLeo cooperated in 1977 against a doctor who hired him to kill another doctor. DeLeo, who had been in state and Federal prisons since the late 1960s for bank robbery, made a daring escape from a prison hospital. During this brief sojourn of freedom, DeLeo murdered Dr. Walter Bond in Columbus, Ohio, after Dr. David Ucker paid him to do the dirty deed. Bond was Dr. Ucker's rival for the affections of a certain woman. Although Dr. Bond told him to kill the victim by castrating him and letting him bleed to death, DeLeo shot him in the head and chest instead, snuffing out the doc's life outside his own Livingston Avenue office on Halloween night.
Later, the law caught up to him, and as part of a deal, DeLeo pleaded guilty to the murder and was given 15 years to life. Even though DeLeo testified against Ucker, Ucker was found not guilty in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. But since DeLeo carried out his part of the agreement and testified, a Franklin County prosecutor advocated for his release. So in 1991, then-Governor Richard F. Celeste commuted DeLeo's sentence as one of his last formal acts in office.
DeLeo became a free man in 1997. He kept in touch with Allie and was inducted into the Colombo crime family in 2000, as per sources.
If the Feds have the goods to back up their allegations, it looks like this time old Ralph will wind up dying in a cage.
As For The Colombo War
In early 1991 Carmine Persico announced that his son Allie Boy, upon his release from prison in June 1993, would become boss of the Colombos. The announcement raised tensions between family members loyal to acting boss Vic Orena and those loyal to Persico.
Orena suggested that Colombo consigliere Carmine Sessa disparage Persico to Colombo captains. Specifically, Orena told Sessa to call Persico a "rat" who should be "knocked down."
Sessa reported Orena's slur to Allie Boy's brother/capo Theodore (Skinny Teddy) Persico.
Upon learning of Sessa's disloyalty, Orena planned to kill him at a "making" ceremony for new Mafia members.
In an attempt to build support on the Commission for his moves, Orena launched a campaign to destroy Carmine Persico, calling him a "rat" because Persico had violated the prohibition against admitting the existence of the Mafia code of omertá. He also criticized Persico for providing information to a New York Daily News journalist and for talking to a reporter with CBS's 60 Minutes about appearing on that show.
According to Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, the accusations were the sort that would lead the Commission to label Persico "no better than an informer," a black mark in mob circles that was also fatal.
Alphonse (Little Al) D'Arco and Gravano testified that Orena approached them with a request for assistance in murdering Colombo capo Greg (The Grim Reaper) Scarpa, who Orena suspected was fiercely loyal to Persico. (He was.)
D'Arco was unwilling to provide such assistance without permission from Luchese boss Vic Amuso and underboss Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso, both of whom were fugitives at the time.
Additionally, Gravano was, on Gotti's instructions, to assist Orena. Therefore, his crew monitored Scarpa and was prepared to kill him. They never followed through, however, because Orena retracted his request, having decided that having another family eliminate Scarpa would not look good for him as the boss.
The third Colombo war began in earnest after Carmine Sessa and others made a move against Vic. They waited in a car outside Orena's home on the night of June 20, 1991. Orena spotted them and drove off unharmed.
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