ROSLYNN R. MAUSKOPF, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced that THEODORE PERSICO, JR., also known as "Teddy," a Colombo organized crime family soldier, pleaded guilty to racketeering, including predicate acts of extortion. The guilty plea proceedings were held late yesterday afternoon before United States District Judge Carol B. Amon at the U. S. Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. When sentenced by Judge Amon, PERSICO, JR. faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment.

As alleged in the indictment unsealed on May 5, 2005, and other publicly filed documents, PERSICO, JR., the nephew of Colombo family official boss Carmine Persico, was released from Greenhaven Correctional Facility in Dutchess County, New York, on April 28, 2004, after serving approximately 16 years in prison following his 1988 state conviction for narcotics trafficking. He promptly returned to his position in the Colombo family, and almost immediately began engaging in criminal conduct. For example, during court-authorized electronic surveillance of PERSICO, JR.'s cellular telephone in 2004, he was intercepted speaking with his co-defendants Carmine L. Persico and Andre D'Apice regarding the extortionate collection of a debt. During a November 23, 2004 conversation, PERSICO, JR. instructed D'Apice to bring an individual to him so he could give him a "[expletive] beating." Then, he added derisively, the individual could "go tell his father." In the same conversation, PERSICO, JR. threatened that he would "take it out on his kids, that's all, until he [expletive] does the right thing."

At his guilty plea proceeding yesterday, PERSICO, JR. admitted that he was associated with the Colombo Organized Crime Family, and that he was guilty of the charged pattern of racketeering. Specifically, PERSICO, JR. admitted that he threatened to beat up the son of one of his victims as a way to "put fear" into the victim and get him to pay his debt.

"We are committed to preventing organized crime from rebuilding, in this case with a returning veteran," stated United States Attorney MAUSKOPF. "The defendant's conviction is but the latest installment in our drive to eliminate the corrosive impact of organized crime in our communities." Ms. MAUSKOPF thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance.

The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah Mayer and Thomas J. Seigel.

The Defendant:

Name: THEODORE PERSICO, JR.
Alias: "Teddy"
DOB: 9/9/1963
Address: 1371 82^nd Street, Apt. 1, Brooklyn, New York

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