Why Tony the Gawk Augello Filled His Own Contract

Augello was a character straight from central casting; a huge fellow approximately 6-feet 2-inches tall who had hands like baseball mitts. He was an intimidating figure utilized for strong-arm work, as needed, and maintained a mob social club in Brooklyn as his base.

Anthony (Tony the Gawk) Augello was born in 1923 in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. By the mid-1960s, Augello had moved to 294 Hendrickson Avenue in Valley Stream on Long Island.

He was a longtime Colombo soldier serving under caporegime John (Sonny) Franzese.

Augello was a character straight from central casting; a huge fellow approximately 6-feet 2-inches tall who had hands like baseball mitts. He was an intimidating figure utilized for strong-arm work as needed and maintained a mob social club in Brooklyn as his base.

Anthony Augello

Tony the Gawk was active in shylocking, extortion, bookmaking, strong-arm tactics, hijacking, and labor racketeering.

For a time, Augello headed a mob-controlled union, Local #88 - Amalgamated Production Workers Union (Independent), serving as the president. It was a Franzese-controlled union.

With Joe Colombo’s rise to power in the Family, Augello became close to Colombo.

During the years that the Italian-American Civil Rights League was active, Colombo made Augello a “precinct” captain and was once arrested while picketing the Staten Island Advance newspaper.

Dominick Santoro (middle), Tony the Gawk (right)

Forever Bothering Italians

During the 1960s, Nassau D.A. William Cahn hounded mobsters in the County starting several grand juries and arresting mobsters for the smallest infractions.

Augello was a constant target of detectives. By 1965, Augello was arrested, with several others, on several truck hijackings of clothes and other merchandise. The case dragged on for several years.

Eventually, Augello was convicted on the testimony of Angelo (Fat Angelo) Garofalo, one of Augello’s codefendants and witnesses who turned rat.

During that time, Augello also found himself with an extortion case born out of a “shakedown” he was so adept at.

He teamed up with an associate named Julius (Spike) Bernstein. Bernstein was a hoodlum, who in later years, would ally with Matty the Horse Ianniello in pilfering a Bus Union Local they infiltrated.

But in this instance, Bernstein and Augello approached the owner of the “Big Bow Wow”, a hot dog/fast food place in Howard Beach, Queens.

Soon, they were strong-arming the owner for money every week. The FBI was called in and Augello and Bernstein were charged with extortion.

Over the years, he amassed an arrest record for grand larceny, extortion, receiving stolen property (the hijacked load), assault, disorderly conduct, contempt of court, and narcotics conspiracy.

A Big Problem

Augello was convicted on grand larceny, receiving stolen goods (3.5 to 5 years,) conspiracy, extortion, and contempt (30 days.)

By the late 1970s, Augello got himself involved with a former prison buddy in a drug scheme. NYC mob members were not officially allowed to participate in narcotics and Colombo members, in particular, shunned such activity.

But when you have the boss’s ear, it’s different. Before long, the DEA arrested everyone involved on conspiracy charges, Augello included. That was a big problem.

A bigger problem, however, was the fact that Augello had pulled Alphonse (Little Allie Boy) Persico into the conspiracy. Persico was indicted as well.

You do not get the boss’ son arrested for such things - not if you want to live a long life! And this was Carmine (Junior) Persico’s son, considered one of the most cunning and vicious mob bosses of all time.

Augello knew how this would end, and it was not going to be a happy ending!

Day after day. Week after week. Constantly looking over his shoulder. Afraid to make meetings with his associates for fear of being set up for the slaughter. He soon couldn’t take the pressure anymore.

Augello left his home early one morning and stopped off at the local McDonalds for a cup of coffee. He walked into the phone booth on the property and proceeded to make several calls to his family members to say goodbye.

Tony then promptly pulled out a handgun and shot himself in the head. A quick and decisive ending to a lingering problem!

Augello had filled his own murder contract. And so ends the saga of Anthony “Tony the Gawk” Augello!

Why Tony the Gawk Augello Filled His Own Contract

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Why Tony the Gawk Augello Filled His Own Contract

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You May Also Enjoy

James (Jimmy Brown) Clemenza – Old-time Good Fellow

Modesto Santoro – “The Duke”

Garofalo Brothers – “Rats of a Feather Flock Together”

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