Albert Gallo

Albert "Kid Blast" Gallo, Jr. (born June 6, 1930) was a New York mobster who initially belonged to the Profaci crime family, later called the Colombo crime family, and then the Genovese crime family. Albert Gallo was one of the notorious Gallo brothers who challenged the family leadership in a bloody family war. His brothers were Larry Gallo and "Crazy" Joey Gallo.

Early Days on President Street

Born in the Red Hook, Brooklyn, Gallo joined brothers Larry and Joey in their South Brooklyn gang that ruled President Street. Another member of the Gallo Gang, or crew, was future Colombo boss Carmine Persico. Many investigators believe that Gambino crime family boss Carlo Gambino hired the Gallo brothers to murder boss Albert Anastasia. The Gallo brothers operated under the Profaci family, then headed by old-school boss Joseph Profaci, in captain Harry Fontana's crew.

Warring Against Profaci

In 1959, Profaci ordered the Gallos to murder their immediate boss, Frank Abbatemarco, who headed a lucrative bookmaking and loan sharking operation. After Abbatemarco's murder, Profaci gave the former Abbatemarco operation to some of his cronies, cutting out the Gallos. Infuriated, Joey began an all-out war against Profaci. The Gallos had the backing of Genovese crime family capodecina Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo. The Gallos kidnapped four Profaci family leaders, including underboss Joseph Magliocco, and held them ransom. Profaci agreed to pay the Gallos, but reneged on the agreement. Profaci died soon after of natural causes. After a two-year war and at least nine murders, Joseph Colombo took over the Profaci organization

Joey Gallo Assassination and Fight Over Crew's Rackets

In 1972, while celebrating his 43rd birthday, Joey Gallo was murdered. Joseph Yacovelli and Carmine Persico had ordered the murder because they suspected that Joey was behind the very public execution of boss Joe Colombo. In retaliation, Albert Gallo and a team of gunmen ambushed Persico and others in a Chinese restaurant. However, the Gallo hitmen fired at the wrong table and missed Persico completely.

After Joey Gallo's murder, there was an internal dispute between Albert Gallo and fellow crew member John Cutrone who wanted to take over the crew's South Brooklyn rackets. Aligned with Albert Gallo were Frank "Punchy" Illiano, Steven Boriello, Victor Iucci, James Geritano and Steve Cirillo. Cutrone's group included Gennaro Basciano,and James Giliberti. The men took the streets firing at each other on sight. James Geritano wiretapped the phone of Gennaro Basciano, and Basciano was shot to death inside a car on July 1, 1974. On August 4, 1974, Stevie Cirillo was shot to death by a sniper while playing cards at a church poker night (a racket that he controlled for the crew).

witch to the Genovese Family

On August 26, 1974, Colombo family representative Joseph Schipani sat down with Kid Blast, Illiano and Cutrone, hoping to settle the beef and possibly free the Gallo crew from the Colombo family. On September 11, 1974, Punchy Illiano was shot by a sniper. Albert Gallo emerged victorious, maintaining control of his brother's crew's rackets in South Brooklyn. On October 5, 1976, John Cutrone was shot to death inside a Flatbush, Brooklyn lunchonette.

Sometime in the mid-1970s, Albert Gallo and fellow gang member Frank Illiano switched to the Genovese crime family. The two men rose through the Genovese family; at times, Gallo served on a ruling administration when official boss Vincent Gigante was in prison. Currently, Albert Gallo is listed as an acting captain in the Genovese family, in Illiano's crew. The crew is involved in loan sharking, bookmaking, extortion and protection rackets. Both Gallo and Illiano are still mainstays on Court Street, in South Brooklyn, spending time at the Van Westerhout Cittadini Molesi Social Club. [http://thefivefamilies.blogspot.com/2006/09/genovese-family.html] .

Further reading

*Capeci, Jerry. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia". Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2

External links

* [http://www.ganglandnews.com/column53.htm This Week in Gang Land: Ask Andy]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101720424-213669,00.html Blood in the Streets: Subculture of Violence]