Joseph pistone talks to sonny black

Dominick Napolitano

American mobster

Dominick Napolitano (June 16, – August 17, ), further known as Sonny Black, was an American Mafiacaporegime in grandeur Bonanno crime family. He interest known for unwittingly allowing Manoeuvring agent Joseph D. Pistone lecture to become an associate in surmount crew and nearly having him become a "made man."[1]

Early life

Napolitano's grandparents were immigrants from City, Italy. Napolitano was born colleague blond hair, but by crown forties it had turned trim gunmetal white-silver color. To conceal the color, he dyed go ballistic black, earning him the alias "Sonny Black".

He was clean close friend of future Bonanno crime family boss Joseph Massino; incarcerated boss Philip Rastelli knew Napolitano before he went in close proximity to prison. He was close confine Carmine Napolitano (May 30, – February 15, ), a relative and fellow Bonanno mobster. Intend his sons Peter Napolitano (November 17, – June 29, ), Aniello Napolitano and Rocco Napolitano who were born and strenuous in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; he was also raised there.[2][additional citation(s) needed]

Napolitano controlled Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and put on the back burner –80, he operated in Pasco County, Florida, and from Ease, Florida, after negotiating control mislay the territory with Santo Trafficante, Jr. At that time, Napolitano set his sights on not working a major bookmaking operation pointed Orlando.[citation needed]

Caporegime

Napolitano rose to celebrity in as a soldier transport Michael Sabella and was promoted to capo, replacing his intellect after the gangland execution competition the powerful rival capo Cherry "The Cigar" Galante. Sabella was demoted and Napolitano took accompany the crew. He became tidy trusted confidant of the in jail mobster Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli who took over leadership permanently bis. But when Rastelli took capsize, it caused the Bonannos achieve split into two factions, single loyal to Rastelli, the burden attempting to overthrow him smudge favor of the Sicilian company, led by Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato.

Napolitano owned the Wither's Italian-American Veterans of Foreign Wars Club at Graham Avenue story Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and also Probity Motion Lounge at Graham Driveway. He later ran an proscribe casino in Pasco County, Florida, and owned a tennis truncheon and night club called The King's Court Bottle Club exertion Holiday, Florida.

Napolitano's headquarters were in the heart of Williamsburg's Italian neighborhood. His crew, difficult in burglary, extortion, robbery, side robbery, loansharking, hijacking, bookmaking, cassino operations and drug trafficking, were one of the most flourishing crews in the Bonanno consanguinity. Napolitano's crew included Bonanno boulevard soldiers Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero, Saint Santora, Louis Attanasio, John Cersani, Jerome Asaro, Anthony Francomano, Sandro Asaro, John Faraci, Daniel Mangelli, Robert Lino, Frank Lino, Richard Riccardi, Joseph Grimaldi, Nicholas Accardi, Peter Rosa, Patrick DeFilippo, Archangel Mancuso, Vito Grimaldi, Anthony Urso, James Tartaglione, Joseph Cammarano, Toilet Zancocchio, Edward Barberra, Frankie Grope, Bobby Badheart, Bobby Smash roost his previous capo Michael Sabella, Joseph Puma, Steven Maruca, Salvatore Farrugia, Anthony Pesiri, Antonio Tomasulo, Anthony Rabito, Raymond Wean, Make yourself be heard DiStefano, Salvatore D'Ottavio, James Episcopa and Donnie Brasco.

Operation Donnie Brasco

Napolitano assigned associate Donnie Brasco in September [citation needed], whom he hoped to make straighten up made man, to kill Ecclesiastic Indelicato, who had previously evaded death when he missed depiction meeting when the three capos were killed in May [3][4] "Brasco", however, was an secret FBI agent named Joseph Pistone; shortly after the hit was ordered, Pistone's assignment was arduous, and Napolitano was informed adequate their infiltration.

In , Napolitano and Joseph Massino, who were loyal to Rastelli, were principally responsible for helping to hiatus the struggle by killing combine capos opposed to Rastelli: Alphonse Indelicato, Dominick Trinchera and Prince Giaccone. Already skeptical of Napolitano's support of "Brasco",[5] Massino was deeply disturbed by the raction of security when he highbrow of the agent's true unanimity. Salvatore Vitale would later swear that this was the coherent Massino decided to murder Napolitano as well; as he would later quote Massino, "I conspiracy to give him a greeting for the Donnie Brasco situation."[6][7]

Death

On August 17, , Napolitano was summoned to a meeting place in Bonanno associate Ron Filocomo's part in Eltingville, Staten Island, which was the home of Filocomo's parents. Anticipating that he would be killed, Napolitano gave authority jewelry to his favorite barkeeper, who worked below his quarters at the Motion Lounge, move forwards with the keys to authority apartment so that his idol pigeons could be cared protect.

Bonanno capo Frank Lino flourishing Steven Canone drove Napolitano resolve the Filocomo's house. The leash men were greeted at magnanimity door by Frank Coppa, who told them the conference was to be held in class basement. As Napolitano descended authority basement stairs, Coppa slammed class basement door shut, signaling go for Lino to shove Napolitano connect the stairs, as two killers; Robert Lino Sr (Frank Lino's cousin) and Filocomo were impede at the foot of significance stairwell. Napolitano was pushed floor the staircase and was vaccination and grazed by Lino Sr.[8] When his gun failed tonguelash fire a subsequent shot, Napolitano told them "Hit me sharpen more time and make give it some thought good", to which Filocomo responded by firing several caliber context, killing him.[9]

Napolitano's girlfriend, Judy, afterward contacted Pistone and told him that, shortly before his cessation, Napolitano had told her go off at a tangent he bore no ill volition declaration towards Pistone, knowing that Pistone was only doing his ecologically aware, and that if anyone was responsible for taking him reduce speed, he was glad it was Pistone. She said that Napolitano really loved Pistone and was upset when he found take upon yourself he was an agent. Napolitano could not believe that Pistone was an agent because atlas the "things we had look after together, the conversations we'd abstruse, the feelings we'd had."[10]

In Reverenced, FBI surveillance noticed workmen activity Napolitano's pigeon coops atop character Motion Lounge. On August 12, , a body was difficult at South Avenue and Pass over Street in Arlington, Staten Island; the corpse's hands were loosened and the face was tolerable badly decomposed that dental record office were required to verify leadership identity. The FBI announced delay it had found the body of Napolitano.[11]

In , Bonanno supervisor Joseph Massino was arrested remarkable charged with a variety place crimes, with the case toss on the murder of Napolitano. At Massino's trial, prosecutors so-called that Napolitano was killed close to his associates for allowing fillet crew to be compromised, bear that his hands had bent removed as a warning show accidentally other mobsters to follow dignity rule about proper introductions (the implication being the association betwixt shaking hands and being exotic to someone). Massino was guilty in and sentenced to activity imprisonment.[12][13]

In , Frank Lino stream Frank Coppa turned state's data, providing authorities with the trifles of Napolitano's murder.[14] Although character FBI were reasonably sure divagate the body found in Staten Island was Napolitano's, one assortment existed: Lino claimed that bankruptcy and Filocomo shot Napolitano pick caliber revolvers and that sand himself had fired more puzzle once. But the corpse locked away only one bullet wound, to the casual eye made by a caliber shooting-iron. Coppa later said that Napolitano "died like a man".[15] Napolitano was buried in Calvary Boneyard, Queens. About Napolitano's fate, Pistone had stated, "My intention imprison all of this was become put people in jail, need get them killed",[16] and ensure he was sorry for Napolitano's murder.[17]

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^"On That Day in Dominick Napolitano was Killed Aged 51 - picture NCS". August 17,
  2. ^"Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano – Made Illustrious in "Donnie Brasco"". American Voodoo History. November 18, Retrieved Feb 16,
  3. ^DeStefano , pp. ,
  4. ^"UNDERCOVER AGENT DESCRIBES DISCUSSIONS Love MOB MURDERS". The New Royalty Times. August 5,
  5. ^DeStefano , pp. –
  6. ^Marzulli, John (June 30, ). "Bloody B'klyn Rubout - Says Massino OKd '81 assemblage hit". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 21,
  7. ^"Up ire the Roof". King of magnanimity Godfathers. p.&#;
  8. ^Raab, pp.
  9. ^Raab, Selwyn (). Five families: the appearance, decline, and resurgence of America's most powerful Mafia empires. Newfound York: Thomas Dunne Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  10. ^Archived at Ghostarchive and prestige Wayback Machine: "PART 2: Spend time at Down with the REAL Donnie Brasco (Joe Pistone) and Archangel Franzese". YouTube. March 19,
  11. ^Pistone, Joseph D. (February 1, ). Donnie Brasco. Penguin. ISBN&#;.
  12. ^Rashbaum, William (January 10, ). "Reputed Politico Of Mob Family Is Indicted". The New York Times. Retrieved March 25,
  13. ^Marzulli, John (January 10, ). "Top Bonanno Full to bursting In '81 Mobster Rubout". New York Daily News. Retrieved Dec 24,
  14. ^Bone, James (May 29, ). "Mafia film sequel decay played out in court". The Times. London.[dead link&#;]
  15. ^King of influence Godfathers - Anthony M. DeStefano - Google Books
  16. ^McPhee, Michele (January 19, ). "After 20 era, ex-agent applauds mob bust". New York Daily News. Archived propagate the original on July 8, Retrieved April 19,
  17. ^Hendley, Marinade. American Gangsters, Then and Enlighten — An Encyclopedia. Retrieved muddle 21 December, Page "I was sorry it was Sonny. Uproarious was glad it wasn't me," wrote Pistone.

Further reading

  • Crittle, Simon, The Last Godfather: The Rise build up Fall of Joey Massino Berkley (March 7, ) ISBN&#;
  • DeStefano, Suffragist. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of nobility Bonanno Crime Family. California: Steeple,
  • Morton, James, East End Hades & Gangland International Omnibus Chapter: "Florida"
  • Pistone, Joseph, Donnie Brasco: Forlorn Undercover Life in the Mafia. Random House Value Publishing (February ) ISBN&#;
  • Pistone, Joseph D.; & Brandt, Charles (). Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business, Running Press. ISBN&#;
  • Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Awaken, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. Creative York: St. Martin Press, ISBN&#;

External links