Angelo Mercurio

Angelo "Sonny" Mercurio (1936 - December 11, 2006) was an Italian-American gangster and a member of the Patriarca crime family who became an FBI informant and recorded a Cosa Nostra induction ceremony. His act led to the incarceration of family boss Raymond Patriarca, Jr. and other top family members.

History

Born in the West End section of Boston, Mercurio grew up working in the family bakery in Malden, Massachusetts. He had a fleeting resemblance to actor Dayton Callie.In 1954, at eighteen years old, Mercurio killed a man during a holdup in Revere, Massachusetts. He was sentenced to life in prison. In 1964 he was pardoned by Governor John A. Volpe. After serving time in prison again, from 1978–86, for trying to sell $23 million worth of stolen securities and also trying to take over by force a string of massage parlors, Mercurio opened an Italian food shop in the Prudential Tower in Boston.

When he came out of prison, Sonny was disgruntled with the Patriarca family because they had not helped his family with money while he was incarcerated. Meanwhile, the Irish-American Winter Hill gangsters and FBI informants Whitey Bulger and Steve Flemmi gave his girl money every week. They got along since he was the go between for Jerry Angiulo, the boss of Boston's mob that had suzerainty over Winter Hill.