Carmine John Persico, Jr. (born August 8, 1933 in Brooklyn) also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the Boss of the Colombo crime family since 1973. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving a sentence of 139 years in prison since 1987
In 1957, Persico allegedly participated in the murder of Albert Anastasia, the former leader of Murder Inc. and the boss of what was then the Anastasia crime family. Anastasia's underboss Carlo Gambino wanted control of the family and conspired with his allies, Genovese crime family boss Vito Genovese and Profaci boss Joseph Profaci to kill Anastasia. Profaci allegedly gave the job to Persico and the Gallo brothers.
In early 1963, the Gallos bombed Persico's car, but he escaped with minor injuries. On May 19, 1963, Gallo gunmen ambushed Persico in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. A panel truck pulled alongside Persico's car and two men shot Persico in the face, hand, and shoulder. Persico reportedly spat out the bullet that had entered his face. (OMG!!!)
Soon after the May attempt on his life, Persico was imprisoned on extortion charges. By the fall of 1963, with Joey Gallo in prison also, the shooting war had ended with Magliocco the winner.
In late 1963, after an unsuccessful attempt to take over the Mafia Commission, Magliocco was forced out of the family. He was replaced by Joseph Colombo, who had alerted the Commission to Magliocco's plot. The Profaci crime family was now the Colombo crime family. In turn, Colombo rewarded the imprisoned Persico by naming him a capo....read full story on WIKI
