Colombo Family Induction Ceremony (February 1977)

On or around February 26-28, 1977 the Colombo Family inducted five new members. This was the first ceremony held since an intra-Family dispute ended in large-scale reorganization.

Brief bios of those inducted:

1. John Matera (44y)

Known as 'Johnny Irish', Matera grew up in Little Italy, Manhattan but moved to Brooklyn and later Queens after serving in the Korean War. By the mid-to-late 1960s he was committing armed robberies as part of a crew under John Franzese. Convictions in Florida and New York resulted in multiple local and Federal prison terms.

Released from Florida State Prison in April 1976 he soon became close with Colombo Boss Thomas DiBella. Later named as on-scene participant in the October 5, 1976 murder of Colombo Soldier John 'Mooney' Cutrone, shot to death inside Danny's Luncheonette at 202 Ave M in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The murder was ordered by DiBella and carried out by Colombo Soldier Salvatore Albanese and Associate Hugh 'Apples' McIntosh.

Matera was personally sponsored by Thomas DiBella and reported to him directly until approximately Summer 1978. Around that time he was made Captain overseeing Family interests in Florida. The position had been vacant since the demotion of James Clemenza circa January 1977.

In July 1981 Matera disappeared. Multiple CIs reported he was killed on orders of Boss Carmine Persico, recent successor to Matera's sponsor DiBella. Anthony Induisi was subsequently appointed the new Florida captain.

2. Frank Melli (35y)

Known as Beansy, Melli was part of a large crew of bank burglars and hitmen loyal to former Captain Dominick Scialo. After Scialo's murder the majority of his former associates, Melli included, were placed with Charles Panarella. Melli was sponsored for membership by Panarella and continued reporting to him until the latter's demotion around late Summer 1980. Melli was put direct with Carmine Persico, then the Underboss but soon to replace Thomas DiBella as Family head.

Through the 1980s he operated a social club at 170 Ave T in Gravesend, where many LCN members, suspected drug dealers and former burglary crew associates congregated. One of eleven defendants in a 1984 indictment targeting the Colombo Family leadership, Melli initially stood trial with the others but was severed following a heart attack. He died June 1987.

3. Alphonse Persico (23y)

Source: Gang Land News

Son to Carmine Persico. He was sponsored for membership by his uncle Alphonse aka 'Allie Boy'. One of several newly inducted members who reported direct to Boss Thomas DiBella. Made a captain around May 1981. By 1999 Alphonse acted as Family Boss on behalf of his incarcerated father. Not long afterwards he was imprisoned as well and subsequently convicted on additional Federal racketeering charges. Currently serving life sentence at FCI McKean, Pennsylvania.

4. Philip Rossillo (34y)

Known as Chubby, Rossillo was born in Sunset Park, Brooklyn to parents from mainland Italy. Later described as a bodyguard for Family Boss Joseph Colombo. He is highly suspected of being the individual who killed Jerome Johnson immediately after Johnson shot and seriously wounded Colombo at the June 1971 IACRL rally. Following the incident Rossillo remained part of a crew around Colombo's sons. By the mid-1970s he had aligned with the dominant Persico faction of the Family and was sponsored for membership by Consigliere Alphonse Persico. Following induction his captain was Persico loyalist Gennaro 'Jerry Lang' Langella.

Rossillo was identified as a participant in the September 1980 attempted murder of Samuel 'Sammy the Syrian' Zahralban, former Gallo crew associate wounded by a shotgun blast outside his residence in Bay Ridge. CI information claimed the shooting was the result of a feud between Langella and an outlaw group headed by Zahralban.

In 1985 Rossillo, the Colombo sons and several of their associates were indicted on Federal racketeering charges. Rossillo and many co-defendants entered guilty pleas. Released after serving approximately eight years and died April 1998.

5. Joseph Tomasello (44y)

Known as Joe T., born in Gravesend, Brooklyn to Antonino Tomasello and Anna Parisi Tomasello. Father believed from Messina, Sicily. Active associate with Gravesend and Bensonhurst area Colombos by the 1960s. CW Carmine Sessa later reported that when Colombo member Gregory Scarpa was (correctly) suspected of being an informant, Tomasello approached Scarpa and suggested he 'go out and do a piece of work' to put an end to the rumors.

By the 1970s Tomasello held employment with Colonial Bus Service owned by Lawrence Lampasi Jr. At the time Lampasi was a Soldier in the crew headed by Vincent 'Vinny Sicilian' Gugliaro. Although recently demoted at the time of Tomasello's induction, Gugliaro acted as sponsor.

Initially one of several newly inducted members who reported direct to Boss Thomas DiBella, around August 1980 Tomasello was made Captain over a newly formed crew and helped run the Family for a brief period in following years. Around Summer 1988 he was demoted to Soldier and assigned to Joseph Russo.

Following a May 1992 Federal racketeering indictment he became a fugitive and remained on the lam until July 1998, when tracked down and apprehended in the Catskills, New York. Convicted at trial and released from prison in 2005. Died November 2016 in Florida.