For mobsters, prison is an occupational hazard. A rare collection of photographs offers a glimpse of American Mafia figures behind bars, from future bosses to feared enforcers, captured during their time in the penitentiary.
One of the earliest images shows a familiar face. Future Gambino family boss John Gotti posed for a photo at Lewisburg Prison around 1970, when he was still an associate serving a sentence for hijacking.
Several other men appear in the picture. In the back row is Frankie DeCicco, who would be inducted into the Gambino crime family in early 1976 after the books reopened. He served in the crew of Captain James "Jimmy Brown" Failla and became a captain of his own crew around 1982 or 1983.
DeCicco was one of the mobsters behind the plot to murder family boss Paul Castellano in December 1985. After Castellano and underboss Tommy Bilotti were killed, DeCicco was promoted to underboss under John Gotti. In April 1986, DeCicco was murdered by a car bomb, allegedly in reprisal for his part in the Castellano hit.
Next to DeCicco is George "Fat Georgie" Remini, also known as Big George. He would later become a made man and served in the crew of Gambino captain Tommy Gambino, the son of legendary family boss Carlo Gambino. In the early 1990s, Remini became acting captain when Tommy Gambino was sent to prison in 1991.
In the middle of the photo is Gotti himself. Next to him is an unknown individual, and on the far right is the greatly feared Michael "Mickey Boy" Paradiso. Paradiso was inducted into the Gambino family in the late 1970s and served as a soldier in the crew of Captain Nino Garofalo. In 2019, some sources reported that the aging Paradiso had been elevated to consigliere, though whether he still holds the position is debated.
Another selection of photos shows two heavyweights convicted in the famous Commission trial of the mid-1980s. Former Genovese crime family powerhouse Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno appears with his trademark cigar while serving his 100-year sentence in Springfield, Missouri.
In another photo, former Lucchese crime family boss Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo stands in the middle. On his left is former Colombo family underboss Gennaro "Jerry Langella," who was also sentenced to 100 years in the Commission case. On Corallo's other side is allegedly Milwaukee mobster Anthony "Tony Pep" Balistrieri, a soldier in the Milwaukee crime family. On the far right is Patriarca crime family associate Gerard Ouimette.
A separate prison photo shows Tony Ducks and Fat Tony together. The two mob powerhouses had been friends for many years and both died behind bars at the same prison. Salerno passed away in July 1992, and Corallo died eight years later, in August 2000.
Another image features prisoners from New England's Patriarca crime family and New York's Genovese crime family. On the far left is Gerard Ouimette, who spent around 30 years behind bars over several prison spells. Next to him is Genovese mobster Federico "Fritzy" Giovanelli, who served as acting captain for Dominic "Quiet Dom" Cirillo's crew in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Next to Giovanelli is Patriarca heavyweight Matthew Guglielmetti, who some sources say is now the underboss of the New England Mafia in his twilight years.
A 1973 photo shows the championship softball team at Lewisburg Penitentiary in Pennsylvania. Among the notable names is number 14, Angelo "Quack Quack" Ruggiero, a future soldier and captain in the Gambino crime family. Number 13, with his hand on Ruggiero's shoulder, is future Gambino soldier John Carneglia, the man who fired the fatal shots into boss Paul Castellano in December 1985.
At number five is Oreste "Ernie Boy" Abbamonte, a Gambino soldier who in his early years was part of the infamous Pleasant Avenue drug dealing network in East Harlem. At number 17 is mob associate James Cardinale, who later became an errand boy for John Gotti before turning government witness and testifying against the Dapper Don in the late 1980s.
A more recent prison photo shows alleged Philadelphia crime family underboss Steven "Handsome Stevie" Mazzone in the middle, with mob associate Peter Tuccio on the far right.
A larger group photo includes a long list of names. In the back row on the far left is Richie Gotti, also known as Richard G. Gotti, son of Richard V. Gotti and nephew of former Gambino boss John Gotti. Next to him is Vito Gazzo Jr., a feared Colombo crime family mobster with many murders to his name. He was sent to prison around 1990 and was allegedly inducted into the Colombo family in a ceremony held in a prison bathroom.
Next to Gazzo is Andy Merola, a Gambino mobster based out of New Jersey who was allegedly brought into the family by Jackie D'Amico. Next is Lucchese mobster Ray Argentina, a soldier in what was formerly Paul Vario's Canarsie crew, inducted around 1988.
To the right of Argentina is former Philadelphia boss John Stanfa, a controversial figure who was Angelo Bruno's driver on the night Bruno was assassinated. Years later, after fleeing Philadelphia and spending time in prison, Stanfa returned to become boss of the Philadelphia crime family after Nicky Scarfo's incarceration. He was drawn into a war with Joey Merlino that led to multiple casualties, ending when Stanfa was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996.
To the right of Stanfa is Gambino mobster Huck Carbonaro, convicted for his involvement in a plot to murder former Gambino underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano. He was sentenced to 70 years.
In the front row, the far left is an unknown prisoner. Next to him is Troy Damiano, a narcotics dealer, followed by Pete Player. On the far right is Michael Palmisano.
Another photo features several Mafia heavyweights locked up together. On the far left is Bonanno crime family mobster Nicky Santora, who had previously been a member of Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano's crew. He eventually became a captain before being promoted to underboss of the Bonanno family.
In the middle is the greatly feared Genovese mobster Tino Fiumara. On the far right is former Colombo underboss Gennaro "Jerry Lang" Langella, who, as noted, was serving a sentence of over 100 years received partly due to the Commission case of the mid-1980s.