| Tony Plescio |
 |
| Tony Plescio, born in the mid 1960s, is the brother of Johnny Plescio, one of the founders of the Rock Machine. The Plescio brothers grew up in Saint-Leonard, long said to be a stronghold of the Montreal Mafia, and were reportedly close to reputed mobster Paolo Gervasi and his son Salvatore. Plescio, who became a member of the Rock Machine in the mid 90s, and members Gilles Lambert, Andreas Vrouvaikis, and Sean Traynor were involved in the 1996 attempt to help Roger Hardy, the gang’s reputed explosives expert, escape from prison. Late one night, guards at the Donnaona penitentiary noticed that Hardy was missing from his cell and immediately began searching the surroundings. They located Hardy hiding outside. |
| Police then stopped two vans who were allegedly circulating the prison. Inside was Plescio, Lambert, Vrouvaikis, and Traynor. The four Rock Machine members were placed under arrest. The four were convicted of attempting to break Hardy out of prison about a year later. Plescio was reportedly sentenced to 90 days in prison and 12 months of probation. On September 8, 1998, Plescio’s brother Johnny was gunned down in his Laval home. He was struck 16 times, according to a news report. A burned car containing two machine guns was later found nearby. The following month, police raided Tony Plescio’s Saint-Laurent apartment in search of Jimmy Larivée, a reputed Rock Machine associate reportedly wanted on a charge of attempted murder. Both men were arrested. Police seized two firearms, a half-kilogram of cocaine, and $6,000 in cash. On the night of October 1, 1999, Plescio stopped by a McDonald’s in Montreal North to join his wife and young child, who had attended a child’s party. In the parking lot of the restaurant, someone opened fire on Plescio, killing him. Plescio’s wife, who was reportedly leaning into the trunk for diapers, was shot in the foot. Thirteen Hells Angels arrested in the police investigation dubbed Opération: Printemps 2001 were charged with plotting to murder the Plescio brothers and 11 others in an attempt to seize control of Montreal’s illegal drug trade. |