There’s a new member of the Englishtown Borough Council - and he's got a unique resume.

John Alite is a former member of the Gambino crime family. Alite is now 62 years old but in his younger life, he worked for John Gotti, Peter Gotti and John Gotti Jr.

Alite served 14 years in prison after getting caught up in a wide-reaching mob bust for extortion, murder and drugs. He eventually testified against the Gottis.

Alite says he has turned his life around and wrote books about his former life, including "Gotti's Rules," and "Darkest Hours."

He's been a motivational speaker with a message of, "Don’t follow my old path, follow my new one."

“They bring me in to talk to kids because I lived it. I know what they’re going through as an inner-city kid," Alite says.

Now he says he's a lot like other people living in Englishtown. He's a homeowner who frequents the local restaurants and a father of five who has suffered loss.

While in his home along Main Street, he showed News 12 multiple shrines to his daughter Chelsea, who died at 30 due to a fentanyl-laced pill.

"It’s very difficult to deal with the loss of my daughter. I can imagine exactly what those other parents are going through, we all understand each other," he says.

The dangers of drugs are a platform he will push as he enters politics, with a goal of someday running for Congress - even though he has trouble finding respect for some in those seats.

“I hate to say this, I think 70% of them are corrupt…They’re still committing crimes I stopped committing crimes a while ago. I'm on the right path - I think they’re in the wrong," he said.

Alite was appointed to the council after two seats opened.

As far as Mayor Daniel Francisco is concerned, Alite does fit the mold.

“He knows a lot of people in the business community. Knows a lot in the political movement. He’s a guy who gives back his time to do a lot of talks with police departments, federal agencies. Does a lot of drug outreach,” Francisco says.

The mayor also believes in second chances. Alite is in the middle of his right now.