Calabrese talks about infamous dad at area library
Frank Calabrese Jr. went to jail in 1997 hoping to repair his relationship with his father, who was serving time at the same federal prison. He ended up wearing a wire and coaxing enough evidence out of the mob boss to put him away for life.
“I figured out he wasn't ever going to change,” Calabrese told a packed crowd at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. “He needed to be locked up. He was never going to learn his lesson.”
For almost two hours, Calabrese talked about his family, the mob and his life now as a “plain joe” on Thursday, which was also Frank Sr.'s birthday.
Calabrese, 50, returned to the Chicago area this week to promote his book about the Chicago Outfit, but two Borders appearances were scrubbed earlier this week after phoned-in death threats. There were no such problems at the library.
In Arlington Heights, Calabrese sat with the book's other three authors, Paul Pompian and brothers Keith and Kent Zimmerman, and was flanked by a security guards on either end of the stage.
Growing up, Calabrese Sr. was violent and controlling, according to Calabrese Jr.
“If my father wanted to kill you, he'd strangle ya and then cut ya from here to here,” he said moving his thumb across his throat. “He wanted to make sure you were dead.”
Calabrese Sr. is in a maximum-security prison for the rest of his life, for murdering at least 13 people. It was through Calabrese Jr. wearing a wire that the convictions were possible, authorities say.
Once in jail, Calabrese said his father continued to run the mob and even persuaded a priest to let him use an phone that was monitored to reach people on the outside.
“People think people like my father have this honor and respect and loyalty, but they don't,” Calabrese said. “They steal from each other. If you don't earn enough, you're done to them.”
The crowd seemed to accept Calabrese, applauding and laughing at some of his stories. Others had serious questions.
Nick Pagano, of Arlington Heights, asked Calabrese why he didn't turn in corrupt politics and judges, who were involved in the mob back in the 1980s and 1990s. Calabrese said he has names but isn't talking.
“That's not what I signed up for,” said Calabrese, wearing blue jeans, a button-down brown shirt and gym shoes. “That's up to the media and FBI, I volunteered to do what I did. I wasn't given immunity. I'm not in the witness protection program.”
Also in the crowd was Tom Moore, who graduated in 1978 from Holy Cross High School with Calabrese, whom he described as a “(heck) of a football player.” “I had no idea any of this was going on back then,” Moore said. “When the trial happened in 2007, I Googled Frank's name and his mugshot came up and I couldn't believe it.”
Calabrese is speaking at the Union League Club today before returning home to Arizona this weekend.
Being back in Chicago has been “mentally exhausting” for Calabrese, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002 and walks with a cane.
“I live my life knowing someone could walk up behind me and shoot me in the back of the head,” he said. “That's the way I have to live my life.”