Victor Orena

Last updated

Victor Orena
Born
Victor J. Orena

(1934-08-04) August 4, 1934 (age 89)
New York City, U.S.
Other namesLittle Vic
Occupation Crime boss
Allegiance Colombo crime family
Conviction(s) Racketeering, murder
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment plus 85 years (1992)

Victor J. Orena [1] (born August 4, 1934), [2] also known as "Little Vic", is a New York City mobster who became the acting boss of the Colombo crime family. [3] A challenge by Orena to boss Carmine Persico triggered one of the bloodiest Mafia wars of the late 20th century, and the last major mob war in New York City to date.

Contents

Early life

Born in New York City, Victor Orena's father died when he was a child. Orena spent time in a reform school and eventually dropped out of high school. According to his son, Orena entered the mob life because the wiseguys he knew had risen from humble beginnings and had become big figures in his neighborhood. [4]

In the early 1970s, Carmine Persico, the boss of the Colombo crime family, allegedly had a few people "made" into his organization, even though the "books" had officially been closed since 1958, barring any new inductions. One of these men was Orena, who rose through the ranks and operated in Brooklyn, Long Island, and New Jersey primarily in labor racketeering. Orena was a well dressed individual who projected a traditional business image.

Acting boss

In 1985, Persico and several leading Colombo figures were convicted of racketeering charges. In 1987, Persico and underboss Gennaro Langella were each convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial and sentenced to 100 years in prison. [5] In the separate Colombo Trial, Persico was sentenced to 39 years' imprisonment, Langella 65 years' imprisonment, and Alphonse Persico to 12 years, on November 17, 1986. [6] To run the family in his absence, Persico named his son, Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico, as acting boss. Persico had named his brother, Alphonse, as acting boss previous to his arrest. Persico then named a three-man ruling panel to run the family. In 1988, he dissolved the panel and named Victor Orena, a loyal capo from Brooklyn, as temporary acting boss.

When John Gotti became boss of the Gambino family in 1986, Orena was able to expand his criminal dealings with the Gambinos. He became a top earner in the Colombo family, and increased his influence with Aloi and his brother Vincenzo, leaders of the Colombo Brooklyn faction.

In November 1989, Orena allegedly ordered the murder of Colombo mobster Thomas Ocera, who allegedly skimmed mob profits, had let police seize the Colombos' loansharking records, and had supposedly killed an associate of Gotti. On November 13, Gregory Scarpa, a Colombo enforcer and FBI informant, strangled Ocera with a length of piano wire. Most believe it was because of Orena's strong stance against narcotics that Scarpa, along with fellow mobsters Carmine Sessa and John Pate, eventually turned against their boss. [7]

In 1990, Orena was accused of conspiring to poison a racehorse named Fins, a son of the famed Seattle Slew, for insurance money as part of the larger horse murders scandal. [8]

Third Colombo War

By early 1991, Orena felt that Persico was keeping the family from making money, and that he himself should become boss. In addition, Persico had been negotiating for a television biography. Orena and several others, remembering how federal prosecutors had used Joe Bonanno's tell-all book as evidence in the Commission Trial, believed this proposed TV special would bring unwanted law enforcement interest on the family. Orena first asked the Commission to summarily remove Persico and declare him boss, but the Commission refused, saying that Orena should instead follow Mafia tradition and ask his capos if they supported him or Persico. In accordance with these instructions, Orena instructed Sessa, his consigliere , to poll his capos to see if they favored him taking over the family. Instead, Sessa alerted Persico, who ordered a hit on Orena.

On June 20, 1991, a five-man hit team including Sessa, Pate, and Hank Smurra laid in wait near Orena's Long Island home. As Orena was driving down his street, he recognized several men in the parked car. Realizing they were waiting to kill him, Orena drove away. By the time the gunmen spotted Orena, it was too late to act. [9] [10]

The Colombo conflict soon spiraled out of control. On November 18, 1991, Orena allegedly sent a team to murder Scarpa, who was ambushed as he was driving with his daughter and granddaughter; Scarpa and his family escaped unharmed. In retaliation, Persico loyalist Smurra, a member of the June assassination team against Orena, was shot dead later that day. On November 29, Sessa survived a murder attempt while driving his car. [11] On December 3, Scarpa sent a team to kill Orena soldier Joseph Tollino. Tollino escaped, but his companion, Genovese family mobster Thomas Amato, was killed accidentally. On December 5 and 6, William Cutolo sent teams that killed Persico loyalists Rosario Nastasa and Vincent Fusaro. On December 8, Orena supporter Nicky Grancio was killed. Soon after, Matteo Speranza, an innocent employee of a shop owned by Persico associates, was murdered by a young Brooklyn underling Anthony Libertore and his father, who were trying to make a name for themselves with the Brooklyn faction of the Colombos. [11] The Libertores cooperated with the FBI once imprisoned, but were not found credible.

By this time, the Colombo warfare was receiving a great deal of public attention. On December 16, 1991, the Brooklyn district attorney summoned Orena and the other Colombo principals to a grand jury meeting to testify about the conflict. The mobsters all refused to testify. [11] As the war progressed into 1992, Orena was indicted on charges of murder and racketeering. To ensure his personal safety, he had gone into hiding at his girlfriend's new house, which was still under construction in Valley Stream, New York. On April 4, 1992, agents arrested Orena at the house. A search uncovered four shotguns, a large supply of ammunition, and a bullet-proof vest. In testimony made in 1997, Gregory Scarpa Jr. would claim that his father planted the guns in the house to frame Orena. However, this charge was never proven. [12]

Imprisonment

On December 22, 1992, Orena was convicted of racketeering, the 1989 Ocera murder, and other related charges. [7] He received three life sentences plus 85 years in federal prison. [12] By late 1992, the shooting war had petered out and Persico remained in control of the Colombo family.

On March 10, 1997, a judge refused to overturn Orena's conviction. The appeal was based on an alleged conspiracy between Scarpa and his FBI handler, Lindley DeVecchio, against Orena during the war. [13] On January 16, 2004, a judge denied Orena's appeal for a new trial. [14]

As of November 2021, Orena is serving a life sentence at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) near Federal Medical Center, Devens, Massachusetts, with the register number (07540-085). [15] While in prison, he became a Catholic Eucharistic minister, helping the priest administer the Eucharist and Precious Blood to inmates during mass. [4] It was reported in April 2021 that Orena has dementia and is reliant on a wheelchair. [16] [17] A New York Times article in August 2023 reported that Orena's dementia had resulted in him imagining that he was warden of the Devens facility. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmine Persico</span> American mob boss

Carmine John Persico Jr., also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", was an American mobster and the longtime boss of the Colombo crime family in New York City from 1973 until his death in 2019. He had been serving 32 years in federal prison from 1987 until his death on March 7, 2019.

The Mafia Commission Trial was a criminal trial before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in New York City, United States, that lasted from February 25, 1985, until November 19, 1986. Using evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 11 organized crime figures, including the heads of New York City's "Five Families", were indicted by United States Attorney Rudolph Giuliani under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) on charges including extortion, labor racketeering, and murder. Eight of them were convicted under RICO, and most were sentenced to 100 years in prison on January 13, 1987, the maximum possible sentence under that law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombo crime family</span> One of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, US

The Colombo crime family is an Italian American Mafia crime family and is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City within the criminal organization known as the American Mafia. It was during Lucky Luciano's organization of the American Mafia after the Castellammarese War, following the assassinations of "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, that the gang run by Joseph Profaci became recognized as the Profaci crime family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alphonse D'Arco</span> American mobster (1932–2019)

Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco was an American mobster who became the acting boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. He was the first boss, acting or otherwise, of a New York crime family to become a government witness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Cacace</span>

Joel Cacace Sr., also known as Joe Waverly, is an American mobster and former consigliere of the Colombo crime family in New York City. He was convicted of murder in 2004 and was released from prison in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Amuso</span> New York mobster

Vittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is an American mobster and the boss of the Lucchese crime family. He was described as "The Deadly Don" by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Rose. Amuso's reign is considered one of the bloodiest periods in American Mafia history during the late 1980s and early 1990s, alongside his former underboss and close protégé Anthony Casso, who turned informer against him in 1994. Since the death of Colombo crime family boss Carmine Persico in March 2019, Amuso is currently the longest-serving crime family boss of the Five Families and American Mafia, dating back to 1987. Amuso has been serving a life sentence since 1992 and is currently located at the Federal Correctional Complex, Butner, in North Carolina, on murder and racketeering charges.

Ralph "Little Ralphie" Scopo Sr. was a New York mobster with the Colombo crime family who became a powerful labor racketeer. He was the father of Colombo mobsters Joseph Scopo and Ralph Scopo Jr., and the grandfather of Joseph Scopo Jr. and Ralph Scopo III.

The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia, formed in 1931 by Charles "Lucky" Luciano following the Castellammarese War. The Commission replaced the title of capo di tutti i capi, held by Salvatore Maranzano before his murder, with a ruling committee that consists of the bosses of the Five Families of New York City, as well as the boss of the Chicago Outfit and, at various times, the leaders of smaller families, such as Buffalo, Philadelphia, Detroit, and others. The purpose of the Commission was to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and serve to mediate conflicts among families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gennaro Langella</span> American mobster

Gennaro Adriano Langella, also known as "Gerry Lang", was an American mobster in the Colombo crime family of New York City, and eventually became underboss and acting boss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cutolo</span> American mobster (1949–1999)

William Cutolo, also known as "Billy Fingers" and "Wild Bill", was an Italian-American mobster in the Colombo crime family of New York City who rose to the position of underboss and was heavily involved in labor racketeering. Cutolo played a key role in the 1991 to 1993 Colombo war.

VincenzoAloi is an American mobster involved in stock fraud who briefly served as the acting boss of the Colombo crime family. Vincenzo was also a figure in the Third Colombo War alongside his brother Benny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Giaccone</span> American mobster

Philip Giaccone, also known as "Philly Lucky", was an American mobster and caporegime in the Bonanno crime family who was murdered with Dominick Trinchera and Al Indelicato for planning to overthrow Bonanno boss Philip Rastelli.

Roy Lindley DeVecchio is a former U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent in charge of managing mob informants. DeVecchio worked for the FBI during the Mafia wars in New York during the 1980s and 1990s, eventually rising to head of the FBI squad responsible for surveillance of the Colombo crime family. He was also responsible for handling Gregory Scarpa, a Colombo capo who had secretly been an FBI informant since the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Scarpa</span> American mobster

Gregory Scarpa, nicknamed the Grim Reaper and also the Mad Hatter, was an American caporegime and hitman for the Colombo crime family, as well as an informant for the FBI. During the 1970s and 80s, Scarpa was the chief enforcer and veteran hitman for Colombo boss Carmine Persico. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1993 for three murders, and died on June 4, 1994.

Carmine Sessa, alias Carmine Marletta, is an Italian-American mobster and former consigliere of the Brooklyn-based Colombo crime family, and played a key role in the family from 1991 to 1993. He later became a government witness.

John J. DeRoss, also known as Jackie or Jackie Zambooka, is a former underboss in the Colombo crime family.

Thomas Salvatore "Tommy Shots" Gioeli is a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucchese crime family</span> One of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, US

The Lucchese crime family is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City in the United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. Members refer to the organization as the Lucchese borgata; borgata is Mafia slang for criminal gang, which itself was derived from a Sicilian word meaning close-knit community. The members of other crime families sometimes refer to Lucchese family members as "Lukes".

Alphonse T. Persico, known as Little Allie Boy or just Allie Boy, was the acting boss of the Colombo crime family between 1996–2019, and son of crime boss Carmine Persico.

Gregory J. Scarpa Jr. is an American mobster and former caporegime in the Colombo crime family and government informant. He is the son of hitman and fellow caporegime in the family Gregory Scarpa. During the 1990s, Scarpa was sentenced to 40 years in prison for racketeering, and provided the government with information about terrorist tactics and possible attacks orchestrated by Ramzi Yousef. Scarpa Jr. has since won compassionate release from prison as a result of his failing health and terminal illness.

References

  1. ↑ "United States of America, Appellee, v. Victor J. Orena, Also Known As Little Vic, Defendant-appellant, 32 F.3d 704 (2d Cir. 1994)". Justia Law. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Vito Orena". Division of Gaming Enforcement Exclusion List. State of New Jersey. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  3. ↑ The Colombo Family: Junior's War by Anthony Bruno (trutv.com)
  4. 1 2 Smith, Greg B (September 21, 2002). "Family wants retrial for 'different' man". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ Lubasch, Arnold H. (January 14, 1987). "Judge Sentences 8 Mafia Leaders to Prison Terms". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  6. ↑ Lubasch, Arnold H. (November 18, 1986). "Persico, His Son and 6 Others Get Long Terms as Colombo Gangsters". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Lubasch, Arnold H. (December 22, 1992). "Acting Crime Boss Is Convicted of Murder and Racketeering". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  8. ↑ Nack, William. "Blood Money". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  9. ↑ Raab, Selwyn (2006). Five families : the rise, decline, and resurgence of America's most powerful Mafia empires (1st St. Martin's Griffin ed.). New York: Thomas Dunne Books. p. 333. ISBN   0-312-36181-5.
  10. ↑ Lubasch, Anrold H (September 1, 1991). "Prosecutors Tell of Colombo Family Murder Plot". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 McFadden, Robert B (December 17, 1991). "Brooklyn's Mob War Interrupted With a Quiet Day in Court". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  12. 1 2 Brandt, Lin DeVecchio, Charles (February 22, 2011). We're going to win this thing : the shocking frame-up of a mafia crime buster (1st ed.). New York: Berkley Books. ISBN   978-0-425-22986-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ Fried, Joseph P (March 11, 1997). "Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Murder Convictions of 2 Mobsters". New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  14. ↑ Cornell Smith, Katie (January 16, 2004). "NO RETRIAL FOR WISEGUY KILLER". New York Post. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Victor Orena". Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  16. ↑ Ailing ex-Colombo family boss Victor Orena, 86, could be released from prison: lawyer Noah Goldberg, New York Daily News (April 29, 2021)
  17. ↑ Engelhart, Katie (August 11, 2023). "I've Reported on Dementia for Years, and One Image of a Prisoner Keeps Haunting Me". The New York Times . The New York Times Company . Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  18. ↑ Engelhart, Katie (August 11, 2023). "I've Reported on Dementia for Years, and One Image of a Prisoner Keeps Haunting Me" . Retrieved August 13, 2023.
American Mafia
Preceded by Colombo crime family
De facto boss
1990–1993		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.