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100-year-old mobster released from federal prison

Published  June 23, 2017 4:09pm EDT
News
FOX 5 New York
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John "Sonny" Franzese is booked at the Elizabeth St. police station in New York, March 24, 1966, after his arrest on a 43-count gambling indictment. (AP)

NEW YORK (AP) -- A reputed Colombo crime family underboss reported to be the oldest inmate in the federal prison system has been released at the age of 100.

Newsday reports John "Sonny" Franzese left the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, in a wheelchair just before noon Friday. He was serving a 50-year sentence for bank robbery.

His son, Michael, says the elder Franzese is planning to live with a daughter in Brooklyn.

The newspaper reports Franzese was allegedly involved in loan sharking and extortion.

U.S. Bureau of Prisons records show he was paroled at least six times since his 1967 conviction, but each time ended up back in prison.

The last time was in 2010 when he was caught shaking down strip clubs and a pizzeria.