Before becoming The Sopranos’ most colorful wiseguy, Tony Sirico was a real-life street tough with ties to the Colombo crime family, racking up 28 arrests and serving prison time for armed robbery and extortion. From getting shot over a woman to threatening to carve his initials into a nightclub owner’s forehead, Sirico’s criminal past was as intense as any mob movie—until a fateful moment behind bars led him to acting. Let’s dive into the fascinating true story behind the man who became Paulie Walnuts…