VITO GENOVESE served as boss of New York’s Genovese crime family from 1957 to 1959. A childhood friend and long-time ally of Lucky Luciano, the two men would rise to power during prohibition and help shape the rise of organized crime in America. Genovese is also notable for his initiative in taking the mob’s heroin trade international.

In 1957, Genovese’s storied mob career of three-and-a-half decades culminated in violently taking over the powerful crime family later named in his honor. His reign was cut short when he was arrested in 1959 for conspiracy to traffic narcotics and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Don Vito would remain active behind bars, taking vengeance on his enemies by ordering several killings of individuals both inside and outside of prison walls. This mugshot for a murder charge was taken in 1969 just two weeks before Genovese’s death of a heart attack at age 71.