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| 1971 |
Frank 'Frankie Highway' Tranquellino was a Colombo Soldier from South Brooklyn.
An obscure member, he was inducted in 1990 and died nine years later.
Born September 5, 1930 in Brooklyn to Angelo (23y) and Theresa Rosato (22y).
Father believed from Campania (possibly Naples or Salerno).
At the time of Frank's birth the family was living at 593 Carroll St in the Park Slope section of South Brooklyn. They remained at this address for at least the next twenty years.
Frank's father Angelo, known as 'Charlie Highway', was employed as a chauffeur for Weber & Quinn Coal Company located at 73 9th St farther north in the Williamsburg neighborhood.
By April 1950 Angelo was a bartender, and Frank worked as a trucker's helper for a wholesale liquor company.
Served in US Army from October 4, 1951 to September 19, 1953.
In 1954 married Christina Plantamura (22y) in Brooklyn. Wife's father from Nocera Inferiore comune of Salerno, Campania.
On January 2, 1971 arrested by NYPD Brooklyn on unspecified charge. (See top. This mugshot was included in a batch of photos of known Persico associates so he may have already been with that crew.)
Tranquellino remained almost entirely under the radar until a December 12, 1990 report from FBI CI and Colombo Soldier Gregory Scarpa.
On that date Scarpa reported: "[Recently] ten new individuals were taken into the Colombo Family. They are identified as ‘Fat Patty’ who has an espresso place at 20th Avenue and 72nd Street, Brooklyn; Bo Bo Malpeso; and Joey Amato; and Frankie ‘Highway’. Scarpa also identified newly made members as Joe Monte, and Sal Fusco, Jr.”
'Fat Patty' was Pasquale DiMatteo, brother of Colombo Associate (and Future Acting Captain) Luca DiMatteo. Their younger brother Ralph has more recently been identified in court documents as the Family's Consigliere.
At the time DiMatteo reported to Captain Pasquale 'Patty' Amato, as did recent inductees Louis 'Bo Bo' Malpeso (1939-2003) and Joey Amato.
Joseph 'Joe Monte' Monteleone was a Soldier in Joseph 'Jo Jo' Russo's crew.
Salvatore Fusco Jr. was the son of Colombo Soldier Salvatore 'Sally Buzzo' Fusco and the nephew of Captain Richard 'Richie Nerves' Fusco. Richie and the elder Salvatore later rose to Consigliere and Acting Boss respectively.
On March 26, 1991 CI Scarpa reported: "[Danny] Persico, son of Teddy Persico was recently made in the Colombo Family as was ‘Frankie Highway’, and Joseph [Monteleone], recently made, is under Jo Jo Russo.”
Daniel Persico's father Theodore aka 'Teddy', a younger brother of the imprisoned Boss Carmine 'Junior' Persico, was a Colombo Captain.
An obscure member, he was inducted in 1990 and died nine years later.
Born September 5, 1930 in Brooklyn to Angelo (23y) and Theresa Rosato (22y).
Father believed from Campania (possibly Naples or Salerno).
At the time of Frank's birth the family was living at 593 Carroll St in the Park Slope section of South Brooklyn. They remained at this address for at least the next twenty years.
Frank's father Angelo, known as 'Charlie Highway', was employed as a chauffeur for Weber & Quinn Coal Company located at 73 9th St farther north in the Williamsburg neighborhood.
By April 1950 Angelo was a bartender, and Frank worked as a trucker's helper for a wholesale liquor company.
Served in US Army from October 4, 1951 to September 19, 1953.
In 1954 married Christina Plantamura (22y) in Brooklyn. Wife's father from Nocera Inferiore comune of Salerno, Campania.
On January 2, 1971 arrested by NYPD Brooklyn on unspecified charge. (See top. This mugshot was included in a batch of photos of known Persico associates so he may have already been with that crew.)
Tranquellino remained almost entirely under the radar until a December 12, 1990 report from FBI CI and Colombo Soldier Gregory Scarpa.
On that date Scarpa reported: "[Recently] ten new individuals were taken into the Colombo Family. They are identified as ‘Fat Patty’ who has an espresso place at 20th Avenue and 72nd Street, Brooklyn; Bo Bo Malpeso; and Joey Amato; and Frankie ‘Highway’. Scarpa also identified newly made members as Joe Monte, and Sal Fusco, Jr.”
'Fat Patty' was Pasquale DiMatteo, brother of Colombo Associate (and Future Acting Captain) Luca DiMatteo. Their younger brother Ralph has more recently been identified in court documents as the Family's Consigliere.
At the time DiMatteo reported to Captain Pasquale 'Patty' Amato, as did recent inductees Louis 'Bo Bo' Malpeso (1939-2003) and Joey Amato.
Joseph 'Joe Monte' Monteleone was a Soldier in Joseph 'Jo Jo' Russo's crew.
Salvatore Fusco Jr. was the son of Colombo Soldier Salvatore 'Sally Buzzo' Fusco and the nephew of Captain Richard 'Richie Nerves' Fusco. Richie and the elder Salvatore later rose to Consigliere and Acting Boss respectively.
On March 26, 1991 CI Scarpa reported: "[Danny] Persico, son of Teddy Persico was recently made in the Colombo Family as was ‘Frankie Highway’, and Joseph [Monteleone], recently made, is under Jo Jo Russo.”
Daniel Persico's father Theodore aka 'Teddy', a younger brother of the imprisoned Boss Carmine 'Junior' Persico, was a Colombo Captain.
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| T. Persico Press |
By 1991 made members of Theodore Persico's crew included Joseph Baudanza, Vincent 'Schwartzie' Cascio Jr., Ralph Lombardo, John Orena, Theodore 'Teddy' Persico Jr., John 'Johnny Green' Scimone and Frank Tranquellino.
In November 1993 included in the FBI's list of 136 identified Colombo Family members.
Little else is available on Tranquellino.
By the late 1990s he listed residence in Valley Stream, Long Island.
He died September 21, 1999 and was buried in Saint Charles Cemetery located in Farmingdale, LI.
In November 1993 included in the FBI's list of 136 identified Colombo Family members.
Little else is available on Tranquellino.
By the late 1990s he listed residence in Valley Stream, Long Island.
He died September 21, 1999 and was buried in Saint Charles Cemetery located in Farmingdale, LI.
More Colombo Family posts can be found in the Index.