Dominick Petrilli
Encyclopedia
Dominick "The Gap" Petrilli (died December 9, 1953) was a New York mobster in the Lucchese crime family
. He was an early associate of mobster/government witness Joe Valachi
.
Petrilli got his nickname "The Gap" after losing two front teeth knocked out in a childhood fight. Petrilli first met Valachi in Sing Sing
Prison in Ossining, New York
. Once both men were released, Petrilli reportedly sponsored Valachi for membership in Gaetano Reina
's criminal organization. During the 1920s, Reina was allied with Masseria, a powerful and ambitious New York gang lord. When Reina began exploring different alliances, Massseria murdered him in February 1930 and installed a loyalist, Joseph Pinzolo
, as boss of Reina's gang. Pinzolo's appointment inflamed the Reina gang and on September 5, 1930, Petrilli murdered Pinzolo. As a result of these actions, New York was plunged into the Castellammarese War.
In 1931, Petrilli and Valachi, became bodyguards to Castellammarese leader Salvatore Maranzano
. After the end of the war Petrilli stayed in the Lucchese crime family, while Valachi joined the Genovese crime family
.
In 1942, Petrilli was arrested in Tucson, Arizona
on narcotics charges and sentenced to five years imprisonment. Petrilli would inform on several organized crime figures and associates shortly before being deported to his native Italy
by federal authorities. In 1953, after illegally reentering the U.S, Dominick Petrilli was murdered in a bar in the Bronx
by three gunmen.
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
. He was an early associate of mobster/government witness Joe Valachi
Joe Valachi
Joseph "Joe Cargo" Valachi , Italian American, also known as "Charles Chanbano" and "Anthony Sorge" was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. He is also the person who made Cosa Nostra a household name.-Career:Joseph Valachi was born in East Harlem, New York...
.
Petrilli got his nickname "The Gap" after losing two front teeth knocked out in a childhood fight. Petrilli first met Valachi in Sing Sing
Sing Sing
Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in the town of Ossining, New York...
Prison in Ossining, New York
Ossining (village), New York
Ossining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 25,060 at the 2010 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Ossining.-Geography:Ossining borders the eastern shores of the widest part of the Hudson River....
. Once both men were released, Petrilli reportedly sponsored Valachi for membership in Gaetano Reina
Gaetano Reina
Gaetano "Tommy" Reina was the first Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City.-Early years:Gaetano Reina was born in September 1889 in Corleone, Sicily to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Runmore. In the early 1900s the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in East Harlem...
's criminal organization. During the 1920s, Reina was allied with Masseria, a powerful and ambitious New York gang lord. When Reina began exploring different alliances, Massseria murdered him in February 1930 and installed a loyalist, Joseph Pinzolo
Joseph Pinzolo
Bonaventura "Joseph/Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the head of the Lucchese crime family in New York City for a brief period during 1930....
, as boss of Reina's gang. Pinzolo's appointment inflamed the Reina gang and on September 5, 1930, Petrilli murdered Pinzolo. As a result of these actions, New York was plunged into the Castellammarese War.
In 1931, Petrilli and Valachi, became bodyguards to Castellammarese leader Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
. After the end of the war Petrilli stayed in the Lucchese crime family, while Valachi joined the Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
.
In 1942, Petrilli was arrested in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
on narcotics charges and sentenced to five years imprisonment. Petrilli would inform on several organized crime figures and associates shortly before being deported to his native Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by federal authorities. In 1953, after illegally reentering the U.S, Dominick Petrilli was murdered in a bar in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
by three gunmen.