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| Nov. 1965 |
Joseph Zammuto (1896-1990) was Boss of the Rockford Family by the late 1950s.
Older brother Frank (1887-1953) was a Suspected Member.
Joseph was born February 16, 1896 in Aragona comune of Agrigento, Sicily, to Francesco (42y) and Maria Cannistraro (37y).
On March 12, 1913 he and older brother Rosario (24y) arrived at Port of New York aboard S.S. Sant'Anna. Destined for brother-in-law Mose Galluzzo (43y) residing at 165 Stone Ave in Brooklyn, New York's Ocean Hill section.
By June 1917 residing at 421 Knowlton St in Rockford.
By early 1921 married Lena Schiro (16y).
By April 1930 resided at 1027 Ferguson St and listed occupation as grocer.
Around the summer of 1943 witnessed Rockford Boss Antonio Musso's Petition for Naturalization.
Musso, born 1893 in Partinico in Palermo, Sicily, died in May 1958.
Jasper Calo (1891-1973), from Casteldaccia in Palermo, served in an acting capacity for a period of time, after which Zammuto was elected the official Boss with Calo as the Underboss.
As Boss of the Family, Zammuto ordered the murders of Donald Burton (21y) and Joseph Greco Jr. (21y), found in the trunk of an abandoned car on May 2, 1959.
He likely presided over the ceremony held within a day or two of the murders, in which Frank Buscemi (47y) and Philip 'Phil the Tailor' Emordeno (48y) were inducted.
Frank Buscemi (1911-1987), also from Aragona, was appointed the Family's official Underboss after Jasper Calo left for Sicily in the early 1960s.
Older brother Frank (1887-1953) was a Suspected Member.
Joseph was born February 16, 1896 in Aragona comune of Agrigento, Sicily, to Francesco (42y) and Maria Cannistraro (37y).
On March 12, 1913 he and older brother Rosario (24y) arrived at Port of New York aboard S.S. Sant'Anna. Destined for brother-in-law Mose Galluzzo (43y) residing at 165 Stone Ave in Brooklyn, New York's Ocean Hill section.
By June 1917 residing at 421 Knowlton St in Rockford.
By early 1921 married Lena Schiro (16y).
By April 1930 resided at 1027 Ferguson St and listed occupation as grocer.
Around the summer of 1943 witnessed Rockford Boss Antonio Musso's Petition for Naturalization.
Musso, born 1893 in Partinico in Palermo, Sicily, died in May 1958.
Jasper Calo (1891-1973), from Casteldaccia in Palermo, served in an acting capacity for a period of time, after which Zammuto was elected the official Boss with Calo as the Underboss.
As Boss of the Family, Zammuto ordered the murders of Donald Burton (21y) and Joseph Greco Jr. (21y), found in the trunk of an abandoned car on May 2, 1959.
He likely presided over the ceremony held within a day or two of the murders, in which Frank Buscemi (47y) and Philip 'Phil the Tailor' Emordeno (48y) were inducted.
Frank Buscemi (1911-1987), also from Aragona, was appointed the Family's official Underboss after Jasper Calo left for Sicily in the early 1960s.
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| LE Surveillance Photo (c. 1964) |
By August of that year Zammuto was the subject of an FBI anti-racketeering investigation.
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| C. LaFranka |
On January 10, 1965 Charles LaFranka (51y) disappeared. Six days later found beaten and strangled, his frozen body left in the trunk of abandoned car on East Chicago St in Elgin, Illinois.
After LaFranka disappeared, but before his body was located, a ceremony was held where Frank Correnti (53y), Sebastian 'Knobby' Gulotta (34y) and Joseph Maggio (28y) were formally inducted into the Rockford Family. Gulotta, family from Sambuca di Sicilia in Agrigento, sponsored by Zammuto.
Around mid-May 1965 another ceremony held where seventy-four-year old Joseph DiGirolamo, from Marsala in Trapani, was inducted. (DiGirolamo died that December.)
After LaFranka disappeared, but before his body was located, a ceremony was held where Frank Correnti (53y), Sebastian 'Knobby' Gulotta (34y) and Joseph Maggio (28y) were formally inducted into the Rockford Family. Gulotta, family from Sambuca di Sicilia in Agrigento, sponsored by Zammuto.
Around mid-May 1965 another ceremony held where seventy-four-year old Joseph DiGirolamo, from Marsala in Trapani, was inducted. (DiGirolamo died that December.)
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| Sep. 1965 |
In September 1965 photographed for US Passport.
On November 9, 1965 picked up by Rockford PD. (See top.)
By 1966 the Family administration consisted of Boss Joseph Zammuto, Underboss Frank Buscemi and Consigliere Joseph 'Diamond Joe' Zito (1906-1981).
Lorenzo Buttice served as a Captain.
At the time the Rockford Family was believed to number around twenty members.
Almost the entire confirmed membership was Sicilian, primarily from Agrigento and Palermo provinces. (The one exception is Joseph 'Gramps' Marinelli, whose family was from Frosinone in Lazio.)
On November 9, 1965 picked up by Rockford PD. (See top.)
By 1966 the Family administration consisted of Boss Joseph Zammuto, Underboss Frank Buscemi and Consigliere Joseph 'Diamond Joe' Zito (1906-1981).
Lorenzo Buttice served as a Captain.
At the time the Rockford Family was believed to number around twenty members.
Almost the entire confirmed membership was Sicilian, primarily from Agrigento and Palermo provinces. (The one exception is Joseph 'Gramps' Marinelli, whose family was from Frosinone in Lazio.)
Known members circa January 1966 included:
- Boss: Joseph Zammuto (1896-1990) [Aragona, Agrigento]
- Underboss: Frank Buscemi (1911-1987) [Aragona]
- Consigliere: Joseph 'Diamond Joe' Zito (1906-1981) [San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo]
- Captain: Lorenzo Buttice (1892-1967) [Aragona]
- Anthony Basile (1908-1977) [San Giuseppe Jato]
- Filippo Caltagerone (1895-1971) [Aragona]
- Philip Cannella (1914-1971) [Villafranca Sicula, Agrigento]
- Al Cicero (1906-1994) [Sambuca di Sicilia, Agrigento]
- Frank Correnti (1911-1985) [Linguaglossa, Catania]
- Philip Emordeno (1911-1981) [San Giuseppe Jato]
- Sebastian Gulotta (1930-2000) [Sambuca di Sicilia]
- Joseph Maggio (1936-1980) [Sambuca di Sicilia]
- Joseph Marinelli (1918-1980) [Frosinone, Lazio]
- Salvatore 'Sam' Oliveri (1895-1969) [Corleone, Palermo]
- Philip Priola (1907-1987) [Ficarazzi, Palermo]
- Charles Vince (1907-1994) [Camporeale, Palermo]
On August 31, 1967 included in the FBI's list of
17 identified Rockford Family members. 6 deceased members also
identified. (Jasper Calo, included in the list of living members, is
believed to have transferred to a Family in Sicily by this time.)
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| L. Buttice |
On October 3, 1967 Captain Lorenzo Buttice died.
On December 17, 1968 FBI CI (Milwaukee Member) reported: "[TE] advised he had received information from friends in Rockford, Illinois that the members of the Rockford LCN Family had received subpoenas to testify before a Federal Grand Jury at Freeport, Illinois. Receipt of these subpoenas has the Rockford LCN Family 'shook up'. TE expects to visit Rockford over weekend. Any information developed by TE will be forwarded."
On December 17, 1968 FBI CI (Milwaukee Member) reported: "[TE] advised he had received information from friends in Rockford, Illinois that the members of the Rockford LCN Family had received subpoenas to testify before a Federal Grand Jury at Freeport, Illinois. Receipt of these subpoenas has the Rockford LCN Family 'shook up'. TE expects to visit Rockford over weekend. Any information developed by TE will be forwarded."
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| Dec. 1968 Press |
On December 20, 1968 among nine who appeared before the FGJ. Those called to testify in addition to Zammuto were Underboss Frank Buscemi, Captain Charles Vince and Soldiers Philip Cannella, Al Cicero, Frank Correnti, Joseph Maggio, Joseph Marinelli and Philip Priola.
On March 26, 1971 Rockford Member Filippo Caltagerone died.
Member Philip Cannella died about two months later on May 12.
On March 26, 1971 Rockford Member Filippo Caltagerone died.
Member Philip Cannella died about two months later on May 12.
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| F. Buscemi |
In September 1972 FBI CI reported: "[If] Joe Zammuto steps down from his position as Capo of the Rockford Family there is no doubt that Frank Buscemi will take over. He said in his opinion when Buscemi becomes Capo, any member of the Family who is looking for some action will be able to get it and he would expect that Joe Maggio, Frank Correnti, Knobby Gulotta and Charlie Vince would fall into that category."
Zammuto's Former Underboss Jasper Calo died in Palermo on July 16, 1973.
Zammuto's Former Underboss Jasper Calo died in Palermo on July 16, 1973.
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| c. Mid-1970s |
Around mid-1970s issued Firearm Owners ID.
In January 1976 FBI reported: "The Rockford Family of the LCN continues as a separate entity with closer ties to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Springfield, Illinois than Chicago. The Chicago Family has virtually no influence in Rockford. Joseph Zammuto continues as Boss with Frank J. Buscemi as Underboss. This Family is relatively inactive having a membership of about fourteen persons. They exert little, if any, influence on the political, judicial or economic affairs in Rockford. There is some involvement with gambling activities in the area, however, this Family has elected to remain passive and uninvolved, being content to avoid publicity and exposure." (This was repeated verbatim in a report the following year.)
Anthony Basile, believed to have transferred to the Colorado Family earlier that decade, died July 4, 1977.
In January 1976 FBI reported: "The Rockford Family of the LCN continues as a separate entity with closer ties to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Springfield, Illinois than Chicago. The Chicago Family has virtually no influence in Rockford. Joseph Zammuto continues as Boss with Frank J. Buscemi as Underboss. This Family is relatively inactive having a membership of about fourteen persons. They exert little, if any, influence on the political, judicial or economic affairs in Rockford. There is some involvement with gambling activities in the area, however, this Family has elected to remain passive and uninvolved, being content to avoid publicity and exposure." (This was repeated verbatim in a report the following year.)
Anthony Basile, believed to have transferred to the Colorado Family earlier that decade, died July 4, 1977.
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| J. Maggio |
On April 7, 1980 Rockford Member Joseph Maggio (43y) disappeared. Two days later he was found shot to death, his body lying in backseat of his car left in Rockford's far West End. He had been shot once in the side of the head at close range with a large-caliber firearm. Maggio was the last known Rockford member to be murdered and the only confirmed member of the Family to die violently after the 1930s.
During the rest of 1980 and 1981 at least three members, including Zammuto's Consigliere Joseph Zito, died of natural causes.
Soldier Frank Correnti, initiated by Zammuto in the mid-1960s, died January 1985 in Loves Park, Illinois.
In 1987 Frank Buscemi, Zammuto's (former?) Underboss, and Soldier Philip Priola died.
Joseph Zammuto himself died May 18, 1990 in Rockford and was buried in Saint Mary and Saint James Cemetery.
During the rest of 1980 and 1981 at least three members, including Zammuto's Consigliere Joseph Zito, died of natural causes.
Soldier Frank Correnti, initiated by Zammuto in the mid-1960s, died January 1985 in Loves Park, Illinois.
In 1987 Frank Buscemi, Zammuto's (former?) Underboss, and Soldier Philip Priola died.
Joseph Zammuto himself died May 18, 1990 in Rockford and was buried in Saint Mary and Saint James Cemetery.
More Rockford Family posts can be found in the Index.
