The Baltimore Crew was an Italian American

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

group that ultimately became a faction of the Gambino crime family operating in the

port city A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

from about 1900 until the 1990s. It was originally an independent organization led by the D'Urso family until the Corbi takeover in the 1920s. In 1955,

Vincent Mangano Vincent Mangano (born Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano; ; March 28, 1888 – disappeared April 19, 1951, declared dead October 30, 1961) was an Italian-born mobster also known as "Vincent The Executioner" as named in a Brooklyn newspaper, and the head of ...

of the New York-based Gambino family moved in and installed Louis Morici as the reigning ''

caporegime A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to capo or informally referred to as "captain" or "skipper", is a rank used in the Mafia (both the Sicilian Mafia and Italian-American Mafia) for a '' made member'' of an Italian crime family who he ...

'' over the area. The Corbi family acquiesced to the Gambino relationship, but maintained local leadership, simply answering to and accessing support from Morici and his New York Gambino connections. Throughout most of its existence, after 1920, "The Baltimore Cosca" was functionally headed by the Corbi family: Vito, and then his sons, Pasquale "Patsy" and Frank.

History

Rule of the Corbi brothers

In the spring of 1923, Patsy Corbi was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of local barber Frank Naples, a reputed Camorra member. Antonio "Tony" Corbi went into hiding in 1923, and reportedly traveled to Mexico and Italy, attempting to evade charges for the murder of Belle Lemons. He did not resurface publicly until the 1930s in Youngstown Ohio where he ran the Yo Hio Social Club.

Under Gambino leadership

In 1966, Lou Morici stepped down from the role of capo due to ill health. During this time, the crew was put under the management of the then-capo Joseph N. Gallo. Frank Corbi assumed the position of acting leader of the Baltimore operation, reporting directly to Gallo. Eventually, Corbi was promoted to official captain of the outfit. By the 1980s most of the membership had died or retired, and with Corbi in his 80s and inactive, the regime became extinct.

Historical Leadership

Historical Membership

*Vincent Coronna *Frank Dabenne *Thomas "Reds" Aversa *Benjamin "Benny Trotta" Magliano

Historical Associates

* Joseph Nunzio Corbi (1911-2001) * Joseph Tamburello (1906-1983) * August "Nick Trotta" Magliano (1917-1998), * Angelo Munafo (1927-2001) * Mario Orazio Anello (1905-1972) * Joseph Gigliotti (1903-2001) * Frank Malvaso (1904?-1991?) * Angelo Perrera (1912-1972)

References

{{Gambino crime family Gambino crime family Former gangs in Baltimore Italian-American culture in Baltimore American Mafia crews