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James Michael Coonan (born December 21, 1946) is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer from Manhattan, New York who served as the boss of the Westies gang, an Irish mob group based in Hell's Kitchen, from approximately 1977 to 1988. Coonan was incarcerated and began serving a 75-year prison term in 1988.

Key Information

Biography

[edit]
Main article: Westies

James Coonan was born on December 21, 1946, into a middle class Irish-American family in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan. He was the second of four children of John Coonan, an accountant who ran a tax office on West 50th Street, and his wife Anna, who was of partial German descent and who worked at John Coonan's office. He was raised in a five-room walk-up apartment on West 49th Street. By his teenage years, Coonan stood five feet, seven inches tall and had a stocky build, with broad shoulders and a thick neck.[1]

An amateur boxer and street fighter, he dropped out of school aged seventeen and embarked on a career in organized crime.[2] When Coonan was a young man, his father John was kidnapped, pistol-whipped and severely beaten by Mickey Spillane, a well-known mobster who frequently employed the kidnap-for-ransom racket of local merchants to their families.[3] Author T.J. English has credited this event in several books as Coonan's motivating factor in the takeover of the Westies.[3][4]

Coonan was the bodyguard/apprentice of loan shark Charles (Ruby) Stein according to The New York Times article that alleged he was "known and feared on the West Side as a murderer and kidnapper".[5] Coonan wanted more, and several West Side neighborhood thugs gathered around him, including Francis "Mickey" Featherstone. By 1976, Coonan and Featherstone were engaged in taking over Spillane's territory, culminating in the 1977 shooting of Spillane, for which Featherstone was arrested and acquitted, and the death of Stein.[5] According to testimony given in 1987 by ex-Westies member turned informant William Beattie, Stein was killed and beheaded in 1977 in a move to erase Coonan's debt and prove the Westies power through viciousness.[6][7][8]

In 1979, Coonan was tried and acquitted for the murder of Harold Whitehead, but convicted on weapons charges and sentenced to four years in federal prison. After his release he resumed power, but was arrested for murder in 1986.[9] In 1988, Coonan was convicted of racketeering under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and sentenced to 75 years in prison with the judge's recommendation of denying parole.[10][11]

Yugoslavian mobster Boško "The Yugo" Radonjić succeeded Coonan as leader of the Westies.[12]

He and his wife Edna (b.1942; Julia Edna Crotty) lived in Hazlet and Keansburg, New Jersey, before his incarceration.[13][a]

Coonan is imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania. He has a full term date of November 17, 2061 and a mandatory release date of June 1, 2030.[15] Coonan was first eligible for parole in 1998.[16] In a February 2023 parole hearing, Coonan asked to be considered for release, citing his mentorship to other inmates, advancing years, time served, exemplary disciplinary record and ill-health. According to court papers, he lost all his teeth in prison, and suffers from partial deafness, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a form of skin cancer.[15]

In a motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on August 18, 2023, Joseph Corozzo and Thomas Mirigliano, defense attorneys for Coonan, requested that he be released to home confinement under the First Step Act. Corozzo and Mirigliano asked that he be released in order to provide care for his elderly wife, Edna, who was described as "in declining physical and neurological health", at their home in Hazlet, New Jersey.[17]

Notes

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Bibliography

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References

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James Coonan

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James Michael (born , 1946) is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer best known as the leader of the , a brutal that dominated Hell's Kitchen in , , during the 1970s and 1980s. Under Coonan's leadership, the engaged in a wide range of criminal activities, including from labor unions, loansharking, illegal , cocaine distribution, , and at least a dozen murders, often marked by extreme violence such as and of victims, whose remains were dumped in the Hudson or East Rivers. Coonan rose to power in the mid-1970s after allying with the and orchestrating the 1977 assassination of , the previous Irish mob boss in the neighborhood, with assistance from Gambino associate ; this takeover was reportedly fueled by a personal vendetta, as Spillane had kidnapped and severely beaten Coonan's father, a local accountant, years earlier when Coonan was a teenager. While Coonan served time in the and for an earlier conviction, his wife, Edna, managed the gang's loansharking operations and relayed his orders, including directives for additional killings. The ' reign ended in the late 1980s following the testimony of key informant , a former close associate whom Coonan had framed for a ; this led to Coonan's 1988 federal conviction on charges under the RICO Act, along with counts of conspiracy, , , and , resulting in a 75-year sentence and a $1 million fine. As of 2025, Coonan, now in his late 70s, remains incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, with a mandatory release date of June 1, 2030; multiple parole bids, including a recent appeal for sentence reduction, have been denied due to the severity of his crimes.

Early Life

Family and Upbringing

James Coonan was born on December 21, 1946, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of , , into a middle-class Irish-American family. His father, John Coonan, was a who operated Coonan's Tax Service at 369 West 50th Street and provided accounting services to prominent figures, including . This professional involvement immersed the young Coonan in the local underworld culture from an early age, shaping his familiarity with mob dynamics in the rough-and-tumble environment of Hell's Kitchen. The Coonan household reflected the tight-knit, resilient character of mid-20th-century Irish-American communities in New York, where economic stability coexisted with proximity to illicit activities. John Coonan's steady but modest business exposed his son to the blurred lines between legitimate work and criminal enterprises, fostering an early worldview tolerant of violence as a means of protection and retribution. As a teenager, Coonan navigated the streets of Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood known for its , rivalries, and immigrant grit, which further influenced his formative years. A pivotal event occurred in 1964, when Coonan was 17, as his father was kidnapped and severely beaten— including being pistol-whipped—by enforcers from Mickey Spillane's crew for ransom, after mistaking him for a associate. In retaliation, Coonan attempted to ambush Spillane with a fully automatic but missed his target, an act that marked his first direct confrontation with the neighborhood's criminal hierarchy and ignited a lifelong vendetta. This incident propelled Coonan toward deeper involvement in street-level crime shortly thereafter.

Entry into Crime

Following the 1964 kidnapping of his father and his subsequent failed ambush on Spillane, Coonan quickly earned a reputation as a hot-headed enforcer in Hell's Kitchen. Despite the violence, he faced no formal charges, as witnesses were intimidated into silence, allowing him to evade prosecution and solidify his standing among neighborhood criminals. In the early 1970s, leveraging his growing notoriety and his father's loose connections to organized crime figures, Coonan secured employment as a bodyguard and debt collector for the prominent loan shark Charles "Ruby" Stein. Operating primarily in Hell's Kitchen, Coonan handled collections on outstanding loans, using intimidation and physical force to recover payments for Stein's operations, which were tied to larger Mafia networks. By the mid-1970s, Coonan had accrued significant personal debts to Stein, estimated at around $20,000 from and other vices, prompting him to engage in small-time robberies and assaults across the neighborhood to generate funds for repayment. These activities further honed his skills as an enforcer while deepening his immersion in the local economy. In 1974, Coonan married Edna Hodges, a Hell's Kitchen native who became an early supporter of his criminal endeavors, including by concealing weapons and providing alibis during his operations. Their partnership helped stabilize his personal life amid escalating illicit pursuits.

Rise in the Underworld

Conflict with the Spillane Gang

In the mid-1970s, Mickey Spillane's crew dominated the Irish-organized rackets in Hell's Kitchen, including bookmaking, loansharking, and labor union extortion on the West Side docks. Spillane, known as the "Gentleman Gangster" for his relatively non-violent approach, maintained control through a network of Irish toughs while avoiding direct conflict with Italian families. James Coonan's deep resentment toward Spillane stemmed from a 1964 incident in which Spillane's associates kidnapped and severely beat Coonan's father over a business dispute, fueling Coonan's ambition to challenge the established order. By the early 1970s, Coonan formed a loose with like-minded Irish criminals in Hell's Kitchen, including early ties to Francis "Mickey" Featherstone, to undermine Spillane's dominance and seize control of the neighborhood's criminal enterprises. This group, precursors to the , began targeting Spillane's lieutenants in 1976 through a series of violent hits, escalating the turf war as Coonan sought to position himself as the new power. The conflict culminated in Spillane's assassination on May 13, 1977, when he was shot five times outside his home in . Coonan orchestrated the hit with assistance from soldier , who provided the shooters as a favor to solidify an alliance between the groups. was briefly arrested in connection but acquitted. Spillane's death created an immediate in Hell's Kitchen, allowing Coonan to consolidate control over key rackets such as construction and loansharking, marking the beginning of his unchallenged reign in the neighborhood. This victory, backed by the Gambinos, enabled the to expand their influence without significant Irish opposition for several years.

Assassination of Ruby Stein

In the mid-1970s, James Coonan had accumulated a significant of approximately $20,000 to Charles "Ruby" Stein, a prominent operating in New York City's underworld with ties to families such as the Genovese and . Stein, who had previously employed Coonan as a and enforcer, grew increasingly insistent on repayment as Coonan's ambitions to seize control of Hell's Kitchen's Irish expanded, viewing the outstanding as a potential vulnerability amid escalating rivalries. This financial pressure, combined with Stein's connections to Italian mob figures who could undermine Coonan's rising power, made Stein a direct threat to Coonan's plans. On May 5, 1977, Coonan, along with associate William "Billie" Beattie and other members, lured Stein to a bar in Hell's Kitchen under the pretense of discussing the debt. Once inside, they ambushed and shot Stein multiple times at close range, killing him instantly. To dispose of the body and eliminate evidence, Coonan, Beattie, and others dismembered the corpse using a meat cleaver, severing the head to hinder identification, before wrapping the remains in plastic garbage bags; the parts were dumped, with some discovered in in July 1977. The beheading was a deliberate tactic to prevent dental or facial recognition, as Stein's underworld status made him a known figure to . Coonan and his associates established false alibis, claiming they were elsewhere during the time of the , while intimidating potential witnesses in Hell's Kitchen through threats of violence to ensure silence. No immediate arrests were made, and the case remained unsolved for years until later investigations into the Westies uncovered details through informant testimony. The assassination of Ruby Stein not only erased Coonan's debt but also served as a stark demonstration of his willingness to eliminate personal obstacles, intimidating potential rivals and creditors in the process. Occurring just eight days before the assassination of rival leader on May 13, 1977, the killing was part of Coonan's aggressive campaign to clear obstacles and seize power in Hell's Kitchen, reinforcing his reputation as a ruthless leader capable of extreme violence.

Leadership of the Westies

Gang Organization and Territory

Under James Coonan's leadership from 1977 to 1986, the emerged as an Irish-American gang primarily controlling the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, also known as , on Manhattan's West Side. The gang's formation solidified after Coonan assumed control following internal conflicts, establishing a core group of loyal associates who operated in a tightly knit but informal network centered on criminal enterprises in the area. Key members included Coonan as the undisputed boss, as the primary enforcer, Edna Coonan as the bookkeeper handling financial records, Billy Bokun as a trusted operative, and Jimmy McElroy as another core figure involved in daily activities. The Westies' hierarchy was loose and characterized by violence rather than rigid formalities, with Coonan maintaining absolute authority through a climate of fear and enforced loyalty among an inner crew of about a dozen men. This structure allowed for fluid operations but prioritized personal allegiance to Coonan, who directed activities even during periods of incarceration, with Edna Coonan stepping in to manage bookkeeping and coordination. The gang's territory encompassed Hell's Kitchen as its base, extending dominance over West Side docks through influence in labor unions like the Local 1909, construction sites where they extorted developers, the garment industry via control of related unions such as Teamsters Local 817, and drug trafficking operations that pushed into and the for cocaine distribution. Daily operations revolved around social clubs and bars serving as informal headquarters, notably the 596 Club at 596 10th Avenue, which Coonan owned and used as a central hub for planning and conducting business from the early onward. Members gathered there and at similar venues to oversee rackets, collect payments, and distribute proceeds, generating substantial revenue estimated in the millions over the decade through loansharking, , narcotics, and industry controls. This operational base enabled the to maintain territorial dominance while adapting to pressures by laundering funds through legitimate fronts like construction-related businesses.

Alliances and Rivalries

During his leadership of the , James Coonan forged a significant alliance with the in 1977, facilitated by Gambino underboss . This partnership began when DeMeo's crew assassinated Westies rival as a favor to Coonan, allowing him to consolidate control over Hell's Kitchen; in return, the Westies provided hitmen and muscle for Gambino operations, receiving weapons, protection from other Italian families, and respect for their territory in exchange. The arrangement evolved into regular weekly meetings at the Gemini Lounge in , where Coonan's group and DeMeo's crew divided profits from joint ventures in loansharking, bookmaking, and in Manhattan's garment district. Gambino boss personally endorsed the deal, offering overarching protection to the Westies in return for a percentage of their earnings and approval for high-profile killings. Coonan also cultivated ties with the , particularly in construction and labor rackets on Manhattan's West Side. The collaborated with Genovese associates to control unions and extract kickbacks from building projects, including no-show jobs and from contractors during the development of major sites like the . To counter Italian encroachment in Midtown, Coonan recruited Serb immigrants as enforcers and allies, notably , a Serbian nationalist who joined the in the late and provided additional manpower against rival Italian groups seeking to expand into Irish-dominated areas. Despite these partnerships, the Westies faced intense rivalries with Italian families over control of Midtown rackets, including clashes with Genovese and Gambino fringes that occasionally tested alliance boundaries through territorial disputes and competing schemes. Internally, fueled betrayals, such as the 1977 fatal shooting of enforcer John Bokun by police during a dispute with Michael Holly, an incident that heightened and led to subsequent killings within the gang. By the early 1980s, Coonan shifted the toward more autonomous operations, reducing reliance on Italian partners by expanding into independent drug trafficking and legitimate fronts like marine contracting, which drew heightened FBI scrutiny and contributed to the gang's eventual unraveling.

Criminal Operations

Murders and Violence

Under Coonan's leadership, the engaged in a pattern of extreme violence that defined their operations in Hell's Kitchen from 1977 to 1986, using to eliminate threats, settle disputes, and intimidate debtors and rivals. The gang's preferred method for body disposal involved dismembering victims with power tools like chainsaws and band saws, a tactic Coonan adopted to send a message of unrelenting brutality and to hinder identification by authorities. This approach was highlighted in federal testimony during the 1988 RICO trial, where prosecutors detailed how such methods were used in multiple homicides to terrorize the neighborhood. One early post-1977 killing attributed to Coonan occurred in January 1978, when he, along with enforcers and Anton Lucich, shot and then dismembered loansharking associate Richard Tassiello after discovering he had been skimming profits from the gang's operations. The body parts were scattered in plastic bags across New York to avoid detection, exemplifying the ' calculated savagery. In 1980, the gang executed a bar owner for refusing to pay demands; the victim was shot multiple times in his establishment, his death serving as a warning to other business owners in the territory. The violence escalated in the early 1980s with the of low-level associates over disputes. By 1986, the ' aggression extended to labor rackets, including the of union official John O'Connor, who survived being shot for interfering with the gang's control over construction sites. Coonan himself was directly implicated in at least five such murders during this period, often directing enforcers like to carry out the acts. This reign of terror contributed to the Westies' infamy, with law enforcement linking over 30 homicides to the gang under Coonan's rule, though only eight were formally charged in the RICO indictment that dismantled the organization. The pervasive fear generated by these acts allowed the Westies to dominate Hell's Kitchen but ultimately drew intense scrutiny from federal investigators.

and

Under James Coonan's leadership, the Westies engaged in extensive racketeering and extortion activities that formed the core of their economic operations in Hell's Kitchen and surrounding areas. These schemes targeted labor unions, businesses, and individuals, generating illicit revenue through intimidation and control over key industries on Manhattan's West Side. The gang's activities were prosecuted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), with Coonan and associates convicted for operating as an ongoing criminal enterprise involving multiple predicate acts of extortion and related offenses. A primary focus of the ' extortion was the construction and labor sectors, where they demanded payments and "no-show" jobs from unions to secure influence over projects. They extorted money and employment positions from Teamsters Local 817, a trucking union involved in West Side operations, by threatening harm to members, including threats of weekly killings to secure union cards and positions. Additionally, the gang collaborated with the to target Carpenters' Local 608, planning to assault union officer John O'Connor to facilitate extortionate demands for jobs and payoffs on construction sites. The Westies also invested proceeds from these rackets into legitimate fronts like Marine Contractors, a Tarrytown-based firm investigated for laundering gang income derived from union shakedowns. The expanded their into loansharking, establishing a network financed by the Gambino family that supplied high-interest loans to members, who then extended credit at usurious rates to Hell's Kitchen residents and small businesses. Coonan initiated this operation in the mid-1970s, with associate Kevin Kelly managing a parallel loansharking business that preyed on local debtors. In parallel, the gang controlled illegal through bookmaking rackets, extorting tribute from independent operators in neighborhood bars and sharing profits—typically 10%—with Gambino associates like Vincent Leone and during weekly meetings. These activities, including disputes over withheld bookmaking earnings (such as a $30,000 shortfall allegedly cheated from Coonan), underscored the ' integration into broader networks for financial gain. Edna Coonan played a key role in sustaining these operations during her husband's incarcerations, collecting payments from mid-level loansharks and relaying directives to members on behalf of James Coonan. While he was imprisoned from 1979 to 1984, she regularly gathered illicit proceeds from the loansharking network and facilitated alliances, such as offering control of West Side piers to secure partnerships. Her involvement led to her conviction on charges, resulting in a 15-year sentence and $200,000 fine. The overall scale of these rackets allowed the to maintain territorial dominance, though precise annual figures remain undocumented in federal records; however, the tribute payments to the Gambinos alone indicate substantial illicit earnings channeled through and .

Downfall

Investigation and Betrayal

The federal investigation into James Coonan and the commenced in 1983, when the FBI launched a RICO probe based on tips about the gang's involvement in construction fraud, including rigged contracts with entities like Marine Contractors. This effort involved collaboration with New York Police Department detectives, who had been monitoring the gang's activities in Hell's Kitchen since that year, gathering evidence through informants and physical to build cases on , , and violence. Cracks within the gang emerged in 1985 with the arrest of Francis "Mickey" , Coonan's longtime enforcer, for the unrelated murder of Michael Holly on April 25, 1985; was framed by associates Kevin Kelly and William Bokun, who impersonated him during the killing. Facing a potential 25-year sentence, was convicted in 1986 but began cooperating with authorities that spring, aided by his wife secretly recording Bokun admitting to the frame-up on May 18, 1986; his conviction was overturned in September 1986. His testimony detailed over 10 murders and other crimes orchestrated by Coonan, providing crucial insider accounts that exposed the gang's hierarchical structure and operational methods. Featherstone's betrayal accelerated the probe, leading to coordinated raids and arrests in 1987 that targeted Coonan and 10 associates; authorities seized weapons, financial ledgers documenting and loansharking, and taped conversations corroborating violent acts. The haul, combined with Featherstone's disclosures, dismantled the ' inner workings, culminating in Coonan's surrender to federal authorities following the unsealing of the RICO indictment on March 26, 1987.

Trial and Conviction

The federal trial of James Coonan and seven co-defendants commenced on October 20, 1987, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in , under the presiding authority of Whitman Knapp. The indictment charged them under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act with a pattern of activity spanning over a decade, encompassing seven murders, , , loan-sharking, illegal , narcotics distribution, and weapons offenses. Prosecutors portrayed the as a violent criminal enterprise that terrorized Hell's Kitchen through brutal tactics, including dismemberment of victims to evade detection. Central to the prosecution's case was the testimony of , a former associate turned government informant, who detailed Coonan's direct involvement in several murders. Featherstone described the 1977 assassination of loanshark Stein, in which Coonan allegedly lured Stein to a bar, shot him, and then personally dismembered the body using a serrated knife, severing the head and limbs before stuffing the remains into plastic bags for disposal in the to prevent identification. He further implicated Coonan in the 1977 murder of rival gang leader , testifying that Coonan ordered the hit as part of a power consolidation effort, along with other killings such as those of Tom Devaney and . Supporting evidence included forensic analysis of disposal methods, such as the recovery of body parts and tool marks consistent with the described dismemberments, as well as wiretap recordings and physical items like bloodstained clothing seized from gang hideouts. The defense strategy centered on undermining witness credibility and alleging coercion by law enforcement. Coonan's attorneys argued that Featherstone's accounts were fabricated or exaggerated under pressure from prosecutors seeking leniency for his own crimes, highlighting instances where Featherstone admitted to perjuring himself in prior testimonies. Coonan himself claimed during the proceedings that some incriminating statements attributed to him were coerced or taken out of context amid the gang's internal paranoia. Despite these efforts, on February 25, 1988, after six months of proceedings, the jury convicted Coonan on the primary RICO counts—including participation in the seven murders, extortion, and conspiracy—while acquitting him on several lesser charges such as certain drug and gambling offenses; co-defendant Richard Ritter was fully acquitted. Sentencing occurred on May 12, 1988, with Judge Knapp imposing on Coonan a term of 75 years' imprisonment, comprising consecutive sentences for the acts involving , , and , plus a $1 million fine. The judge recommended against , describing Coonan as requiring "total incapacitation" to protect society, a view echoed by prosecutors who labeled him the "personification of horror." Co-defendant Edna Coonan, convicted on two counts for facilitating and loan-sharking, received a 15-year sentence and $200,000 fine, also without recommendation. Other associates, such as and William Bokun, drew sentences ranging from 40 to 60 years for their roles in the enterprise.

Imprisonment

Sentence and Prison Life

Following his 1988 conviction on federal charges, including , , and , James Coonan was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with the judge recommending denial of . He began serving his sentence at the Penitentiary (USP) Lewisburg in , a high-security facility. By the early 2010s, Coonan had been transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Schuylkill, also in , where he remained incarcerated into the . His projected full term expiration is November 17, 2061, with a mandatory release date of June 1, 2030; he became eligible for consideration in 1998 but has been denied release multiple times by the U.S. Commission, including hearings in 2012, 2021, and 2023. In prison, Coonan adapted to institutional life by participating in educational and rehabilitative programs, earning his GED and completing all available Bureau of Prisons offerings. He also engaged in mentorship of fellow inmates, contributing to a reported near-perfect disciplinary record with no major infractions noted in later years. His wife, Edna Coonan, who was sentenced to 15 years for related offenses, maintained family contact after her release, though details on visits were limited; relations with their children were described as ongoing but affected by the long separation. Over decades of incarceration, Coonan's health deteriorated significantly, marked by , , loss of all teeth, partial , high , and high by the 2010s. These conditions reflected the physical toll of prolonged , though he continued to navigate daily routines within the medium-security environment of FCI Schuylkill.

Compassionate Release Efforts

James Coonan first became eligible for in 1998 following his 1988 sentencing, but the U.S. Parole Commission denied his release, citing the severity of his crimes including multiple murders and . Over the following decades, Coonan unsuccessfully pursued multiple times, with denials continuing into the 2000s despite arguments emphasizing his good behavior, near-perfect disciplinary record, and contributions such as mentoring other inmates. In a February 2023 parole hearing, Coonan again highlighted his age, exceeding 35 years at that point, and rehabilitative efforts, but the Commission recommended denial, projecting a mandatory release date of June 1, 2030. In August 2023, at age 76, Coonan filed a pro se motion for or sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), as amended by the , seeking modification of his remaining term to home confinement. The petition argued "extraordinary and compelling reasons" including his deteriorating health conditions—such as , cataracts, grade 2 , partial , , high , and high —which were exacerbated by aging and prison conditions. Coonan also emphasized the need to provide caregiving for his 80-year-old wife, Edna Coonan, who suffers from declining physical and neurological health and requires assistance with daily activities. His proposed release plan involved residing with her in , a suburb of , where he would live quietly without returning to criminal activity. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied the motion on , 2024, ruling that Coonan, convicted under pre-Sentencing Reform Act guidelines, lacked authority to file directly for , as that provision applies only to post-1987 offenses. Coonan appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which affirmed the denial on July 9, 2025, clarifying that while the expanded pathways, it did not retroactively apply to his case; however, he remained eligible for review. As of November 2025, no further appeals are pending, and Coonan, now 78, continues serving his sentence at FCI Schuylkill in . Coonan's efforts reflect a broader trend among aging figures seeking early release on humanitarian grounds, though outcomes vary. For instance, Colombo family John Franzese was granted at age 100 in 2017 after serving over 50 years, citing frailty and health decline. Similarly, Genovese associate was freed at 95 in 2025 following a successful petition based on advanced age and medical needs. In contrast, Lucchese boss Vittorio Amuso, 88, had his 2023 bid denied despite claims, underscoring judicial caution toward high-profile mobsters due to public safety concerns.

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  35. https://abc7chicago.com/post/100-year-old-mob-boss-going-free-oldest-federal-inmate/2076690/
  36. https://jcitytimes.com/onetime-jersey-city-mobster-freed-from-federal-prison-at-age-95/
  37. https://nypost.com/2023/06/21/former-mafia-boss-vittorio-amuso-88-convicted-of-ordering-several-murders-pleads-for-compassionate-release-from-prison/
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