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| Aug. 1967 |
Joseph 'Diamond Joe' Zito (1906-1981) was Consigliere of the Rockford Family by the 1960s.
Brothers Frank (1893-1974) and Anthony (1900-1999) were members of the Family in Springfield, Illinois, where Frank served as Boss from the 1950s until his death in 1974.
Brother-in-law Jasper Calo (1891-1973), who married Joseph's sister, served in Rockford's Admin during the 1950s before returning to Sicily.
Joseph was born June 5, 1906 in San Giuseppe Jato comune of Palermo, Sicily, to Joseph and Laurenza Salamone.
By the early 1930s he was living in Rockford and had been questioned in at least two local murders.
On September 22, 1935 he married Mary Gaziano (19y). Suspected Springfield Member Vito Impastato acted as witness. Bride's family from Aragona comune of Agrigento, Sicily.
Brothers Frank (1893-1974) and Anthony (1900-1999) were members of the Family in Springfield, Illinois, where Frank served as Boss from the 1950s until his death in 1974.
Brother-in-law Jasper Calo (1891-1973), who married Joseph's sister, served in Rockford's Admin during the 1950s before returning to Sicily.
Joseph was born June 5, 1906 in San Giuseppe Jato comune of Palermo, Sicily, to Joseph and Laurenza Salamone.
By the early 1930s he was living in Rockford and had been questioned in at least two local murders.
On September 22, 1935 he married Mary Gaziano (19y). Suspected Springfield Member Vito Impastato acted as witness. Bride's family from Aragona comune of Agrigento, Sicily.
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| Feb. 1942 |
By February 1942 listed employment with Town Tavern located at 602 State St.
He was photographed the same month, probably related to a liquor license.
In 1946 Rockford PD advised FBI: "[Unsub] and Joe Zito are forming a syndicate to control the leased wires and furnish news service to the handbook establishments in Rockford and vicinity."
He was photographed the same month, probably related to a liquor license.
In 1946 Rockford PD advised FBI: "[Unsub] and Joe Zito are forming a syndicate to control the leased wires and furnish news service to the handbook establishments in Rockford and vicinity."
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| Dec. 1947 |
On December 30, 1947 arrested by the local PD.
Following month Rockford PD advised FBI: "[Joseph] Zito was known to have been active in bootlegging since prohibition and was also involved in white slave traffic. He characterized Zito as a former member of the 'Black Hand' and a member of the higher echelon of Rockford hoodlums."
By the 1960s Zito resided at 2612 Rural St.
He was by then the Rockford Family's Consigliere.
Joseph Zammuto was Boss and Frank Buscemi the recently appointed Underboss.
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.)
Same month photographed for US Passport. (See top.)
Following month Rockford PD advised FBI: "[Joseph] Zito was known to have been active in bootlegging since prohibition and was also involved in white slave traffic. He characterized Zito as a former member of the 'Black Hand' and a member of the higher echelon of Rockford hoodlums."
By the 1960s Zito resided at 2612 Rural St.
He was by then the Rockford Family's Consigliere.
Joseph Zammuto was Boss and Frank Buscemi the recently appointed Underboss.
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 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 'The Tailor' Emordeno (1911-1981) [San Giuseppe Jato]
- Sebastian 'Knobby' 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.)
Same month photographed for US Passport. (See top.)
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| Dec. 1968 Press |
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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| Apr. 1971 |
On April 27, 1971 Zito and member Philip Emordeno, along with their wives, were indicted by the US Attorney's Office in Freeport, Illinois. Rockford Register Star reported: "Tuesday's indictment charges Zito set up a sham operation in order to qualify for a state liquor license for the Grant Park Tavern in Southern Rockford. Zito is an alien and ineligible to hold a license. He is accused of failure to pay federal tax of $54 per year on a retail liquor operation. The four defendants also are charged with filing false occupational tax returns for the period from 1966 to 1970." After several delays Zito and the other defendants were each fined $1,000 in December 1972.
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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."
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| F. Zito |
On August 22, 1974 Joseph's eighty-one-year-old brother Frank Zito, still the Springfield Boss, died at St. John's Hospital in that city.
Joseph was observed attending Frank's wake held the following day.
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.)
Zito died June 14, 1981 at St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford.
Wake held three days later at Gasparini and Oliveri Funeral Home located at 707 Marchesano Drive.
Joseph was observed attending Frank's wake held the following day.
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.)
Zito died June 14, 1981 at St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford.
Wake held three days later at Gasparini and Oliveri Funeral Home located at 707 Marchesano Drive.
More Rockford Family posts can be found in the Index.
