95-Year-Old Mob Boss Will Remain In Jail After Conviction Upheld
A 95-year-old mob boss convicted of racketeering conspiracy must serve all eight years of his prison sentence, according to a federal appeals court’s decision on Wednesday.
The man, John “Sonny” Franzese, was sentenced a year ago after he was convicted of extorting Manhattan strip clubs and a Long Island pizzeria.
Franzese served as underboss of the Colombo crime family. Fox News reports that the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Sonny’s conviction on Wednesday because it resulted from a fair trial. They added that his sentence was proper for the crime.
An FBI agent testified during the trial, saying that the mob boss bragged about killing 60 people during his years in the mob. The agent added that Franzese even considered arranging his own son’s death when he became a government cooperator.
Before his arrest, federal prosecutors worked for more than 12 years after calling John Franzese Jr. to testify against his father. During his prime, Sonny was a regular at the Copacabana nightclub. He was often seen there with singers Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
The Daily Mail notes that the 95-year-old mob boss also had a stake in Deep Throat, a classic porn film. Authorities claimed that ah informant recorded the mob boss bragging about mob killings. He reportedly said he “killed a lot of guys” but was “never caught.”
During the recording, he also gave his best recommendation for disposing of a body. He recommended drying the body out with a microwave, then grinding it up in a garbage disposal. Franzese was arrested in 2008 in the racketeering case but was freed later on a $1 million bail.
Because of the Appeals Court’s decision on Wednesday, the mob boss is scheduled for release in June 2017 because of credit for good behavior and time served while he awaited his trial.
