MOB TOWN: COLORADO MOB BOSS AND 'THE COMMISSION'

 

Introducing the late Colorado capo Vincenzo "Black Jim" Colletti, who made history as one of the nation's top mob bosses attending the infamous and ill-fated Apalachin meeting on Nov. 14, 1957, which confirmed the existence of a nationwide Mafia conspiracy - "The Commission."

Colletti - who publicly identified himself as a "cheese merchant" - held Colorado's mob reins from Pueblo, influencing hoods in Denver, Trinidad and other locales.

Though one of La Cosa Nostra's more modest spheres of influence, Colorado generated cash through gambling and loansharking - as well as bootleg liquor during the Prohibition social experiment. 

Denver's Smaldone gang was well known to newspaper readers. So too were earlier characters such as Denver grocery store owner Joe "Little Caesar" Roma and bootleggers Pete and Sam Carlino.

In 1957, top U.S. leadership called the national gathering at the home of mobster Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara in Apalachin, New York, to discuss divvying up illicit operations once controlled slain New York mob boss and "Murder Inc." chieftain Albert Anastasia as well as other lucrative matters, i.e. gambling, loan sharking and narcotics.

The Rocky Mountain News said at the time: "It is understood, however, that Colletti has been given a position of importance in national syndicate racket operations."

The moved into the capo slot after wise guys Charlie Blanda and Tom “Whiskers” Incerto were sent to Leavenworth federal prison in 1952 for tax crime. 

Tiny Apalachin was considered safe as it is located 189 miles northwest of New York City. However, suspicious local police raided the session after observing rows of luxury cars sporting out of state license plates in the rural community.

Stunned mob bosses fled into the woods surrounding Barbara's home - an utter embarrassment for such powerful and nattily dressed men.

Law enforcement rounded up 62 mobsters and twenty were eventually charged and then convicted of obstructing justice.

However, the convictions were overturned in 1958.

While Colorado's Colletti beat the rap in Apalachin he was arrested in Denver on unrelated charges the next month - a disappointing home coming following a disappointing trip. 

Colletti died in July 1975 and is buried in Pueblo's Roselawn Cemetery. He was born in 1897 in Sicily. Colletti moved into the capo slot after Colorado wise guys Charlie Blanda and Tom “Whiskers” Incerto were shipped to Leavenworth federal prison for tax crimes in 1952. 

[Photos: FBI, public domain]

Colletti's mugshot is second from bottom on left