Son, grandson of Colombo family mob boss collared in Staten Island ghost gun bust
Rocco Parascandola, Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News
Wed, February 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM EST2 min read

The son and grandson of a Colombo crime family capo were busted Wednesday after an NYPD joint task uncovered a staggering cache of weapons and illegal firearm-making equipment, including ghost guns.

Members of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force executed a warrant at the Staten Island home of 57-year-old Joseph Orapallo and his son, Frank Orapallo, 22, at their home on Locust Ave. near Edison St. in New Dorp around 6 a.m. after an investigation led the division to believe the men had ghost guns, police sources said.

The alleged father-and-son crime duo are descendants of Joseph T. Tomasello, a notorious organized crime boss arrested in 1998. Joseph Orapallo, opting to distance himself from his late father, uses his mother’s maiden name.

The NYPD and federal agents raided the home the Orapallos share with Joseph Orapallo’s wife, as well as Frank Orapallo’s baby and the mother of his child.

During the raid, authorities seized five ghost guns and 3D printing equipment used to assemble them. Police also found a stash of handguns, silencers, 14 unregistered rifles and hunting guns, as well as large amounts of ammunition and clips, according to police sources.

Both Orapallos now face multiple federal weapons charges, including possession of ghost guns. It is still being investigated if the men are involved in organized crime, police sources said.

Tomasello’s capture in the ’90s came after his son, Joseph Orapallo, and his sister-in-law unknowingly led FBI agents to his hideout in the Catskills on the night of Orapallo’s wedding, the Daily News reported at the time.

For six years, Tomasello, a street boss with the Colombo crime family, had dodged federal agents after a notorious mob war in 1991 and 1992 that left 10 people dead. Tomasello was accused of participating in five of those slayings.

But in 1998, federal agents staked out Joseph Orapallo’s Staten Island wedding, where they followed his aunt to Tomasello’s hideaway in Catskill, N.Y., about 25 miles south of Albany, The News previously reported.

After days of surveillance, agents spotted Orapallo and his new wife drive up to the house with Tomasello; the then-66-year-old man was taken into custody and was hit with racketeering and murder charges.

Tomasello was in federal prison until 2005, records show. He died in 2016.

...Joe T must be rolling in his grave.

Rolling in his grave for what? They're doing what they signed up for.

Really? This is a "mob" styled activity to you?

Trafficking firearms, 'ghost guns' etc., is NOT traditional money-making activities that Italian-American 'connected' guys engage in. Thats been a well-established fact!

Through the years have any dealt/sold guns among themselves? Yes, of course. But its a complete rarity and certainly not something that the sons/grandsons of a former top guy -- a former boss no less -- should be fucking around with at. Get it?

This is a complete bullshit activity that street urchins, motorcycle gangs, and gangbangers deal in. NOT connected fellas who even have one shred of self-respect for themselves would ever dabble in. Especially the New York crews.

Like I said, "Joe T must be rolling in his grave!"

That's such a crock of shit lol. Mob guys are involved in every type of crime imaginable. No crime is too big or too small. From breaking open parking meters for the change they contain to the most sophisticated internet or banking scams. And weapons trafficking is a common trade for Italian organized crime. Wake up NYMafia.

LOL. Liggio, with all due respect, what I've already forgotten about OC you'll never learn if you live three more lifetimes, understand me good!

We're not talking about selling bazookas and armament to middle-eastern terrorists, drug merchants or others like they do in Italy. Or what certain individuals may due in Canada or elsewhere. I'm talking about the "Italian-American" mob.

The only mafia member ever breaking parking meter open to steal dimes was Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco. These 2 guys are the sons and grandson of a deceased member, they are not members. I doubt they are even associates.




I doubt they even know anyone in the mob. If they do, in todays world that means they can just give up a made guy (Weather or not the made guy was involved) and get off with no time served.

many on here constantly state that the american mafia is finished, dwindling, fighting for scraps etc. so to say that some possible low level associates being involved in gun trafficking is not a 'typical mafia crime' begs the question. in 2025 what is a 'typical crime?' if the rackets so to speak are dwindling, the number of oc groups appear to be rising, what is an italian american criminal who aspires to be made do to make money. they adapt, they start getting into crimes that in todays world, NOT 1950s era mafia world that can still make money. ghost guns, fentanyl dealing/dark web imports, cyber crime. it might be fine with some older made members to now sit around and talk about the old days of massive statewide gambling syndicates, heroin imports, juice loans etc. but those are not viable crimes anymore. one can run an international gambling network with a pittance the amount of manpower. heroin imports and distribution has not been a common racket amongst most mafia families for near 30 years, juice loans do still happen but the sentences have been increased significantly.

there will always be italian men striving to be made in the small amount of cities and states with a still functioning crime family. their ways to make money have changed and those who aspire to be the don someday need to change as well. nothing about any current functioning criminal group remains static and unchanging they adapt to the times, make criminal alliances amongst other oc groups to survive, and the ones who dont are not presently being talked about in 2025 because they are defunct.

These are all valid and good points you bring out, VitoCahill. Kudos!

Some juice loans? They are still extensively involved in loansharking, that will never go away. Legal loan institutions cannot compete. They require bullshit paperwork, many times collateral or a co-signer, and their APR's isn't really any better than a loanshark's. Oftentimes these vampires are charging quadruple the interest rates. Also, they require a certain credit score and many if not most people don’t qualify for the loans they're seeking.

EXACTLY! For someone to act like the mafia "is above this" is laughable and a joke. This sure as shit right up their alley and something they would have done back then had they had access to a 3D printer. We would have seen the black market FLOODED with ghost guns