Tom Dragna
Encyclopedia
Tom Dragna was a Sicilian
-American bootlegger and mobster who became a member of the Los Angeles crime family
. He is the brother of Jack Dragna
and the father of Louis Tom Dragna
. He remained an obscure figure until he was featured in The Last Mafioso: The Treacherous World of Jimmy Fratianno
in 1981.
in Sicily in 1889. He was the middle child of Francesco Paolo Dragna and Anna Dragna. He had an older sister, Giuseppa, and a younger brother Iganzio. At the age of eight, they moved to the New York City
on November 18, 1898.
. While in California Tom married and fathered at least two children: Louis Tom Dragna and Frank Paul Dragna. He owned a ranch
in West Puente Valley, California
. During the 1920s they were involved in bootlegging and were closely allied with Joseph Ardizzone
. On multiple occasions, Dragna was arrested for violating the national prohibition law. After Ardizzone's disappearance in 1931, Jack became Boss of the Los Angeles crime family and named Tom his consigliere
. Another close supporter of theirs Girolamo "Momo" Adamo was named underboss
.
's life. Dragna was an expert at dynamite
and setup the two bombs that were planted in Cohen's home. The first one didn't go off after the fuse failed to fully light. The second time, the bomb went off, but was placed near a safe, which shielded Cohen. In 1950, Dragna along with his son Louis, and two men named Frank Paul Dragna (his son and nephew, respectively) were arrested after Jack fled the state after being named in the California Crime Commission report as a member of a crime syndicate in Los Angeles. The four along with Girolamo "Momo" Adamo were taken into custody by authorities, who believed they were responsible for bombing Cohen's home or knew who was. After being questioned, none of them were charged and they were released. Dragna bought a desert ranch outside of Las Vegas in 1951 in hopes of turning it into a casino. Jack Dragna was unable to build a casino and his attempt almost led to his deportation.
According to the book The Last Mafioso, Dragna had the best aim with a gun in the crime family. As consiliere he was able to get his son Louis to become an official member
of the L.A. family. When Jack Dragna died in 1956, Tom resigned from the criminal life when Frank DeSimone
was named boss of the family. He still remained close to the crime family afterwards however. Dragna died in 1977.
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
-American bootlegger and mobster who became a member of the Los Angeles crime family
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
. He is the brother of Jack Dragna
Jack Dragna
Jack Ignatius Dragna was an American Mafia member and Black Hander who was active in both Italy and the United States in the 1900s. He was active in bootlegging in California during the Prohibition Era in the United States...
and the father of Louis Tom Dragna
Louis Tom Dragna
Louis Tom Dragna is a former mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna. He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s.-Early life:...
. He remained an obscure figure until he was featured in The Last Mafioso: The Treacherous World of Jimmy Fratianno
The Last Mafioso
The Last Mafioso: The Treacherous World of Jimmy Fratianno is a biography novel detailing the life of American Mafia member Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno. It chronicles Fratianno's life from a kid in Cleveland to becoming the acting Boss of the Los Angeles crime family...
in 1981.
Early life
Dragna was born Gaetano Dragna in CorleoneCorleone
Corleone is a small town and comune of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy....
in Sicily in 1889. He was the middle child of Francesco Paolo Dragna and Anna Dragna. He had an older sister, Giuseppa, and a younger brother Iganzio. At the age of eight, they moved to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 18, 1898.
Los Angeles
The two brothers, who now remnamed themselves Tom and Jack, respectively, then moved to Los Angeles. Unlike his brother, Tom became a naturalized citizenUnited States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...
. While in California Tom married and fathered at least two children: Louis Tom Dragna and Frank Paul Dragna. He owned a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
in West Puente Valley, California
West Puente Valley, California
West Puente Valley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, USA, northwest of La Puente. The population was 22,636 at the 2010 census, up from 22,589 at the 2000 census...
. During the 1920s they were involved in bootlegging and were closely allied with Joseph Ardizzone
Joseph Ardizzone
Joseph "Iron Man" Ardizzone was an early Los Angeles mobster, who became the first Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. He was involved in a long-standing feud with the Matranga family, and became the only Los Angeles boss to be murdered by his own men...
. On multiple occasions, Dragna was arrested for violating the national prohibition law. After Ardizzone's disappearance in 1931, Jack became Boss of the Los Angeles crime family and named Tom his consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
. Another close supporter of theirs Girolamo "Momo" Adamo was named underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
.
Consigliere
Dragna was a planner in some of the unsuccessful attempts on Mickey CohenMickey Cohen
Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen was a gangster based in Los Angeles and part of the Jewish Mafia, and also had strong ties to the American Mafia from the 1930s through 1960s.-Early life:...
's life. Dragna was an expert at dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
and setup the two bombs that were planted in Cohen's home. The first one didn't go off after the fuse failed to fully light. The second time, the bomb went off, but was placed near a safe, which shielded Cohen. In 1950, Dragna along with his son Louis, and two men named Frank Paul Dragna (his son and nephew, respectively) were arrested after Jack fled the state after being named in the California Crime Commission report as a member of a crime syndicate in Los Angeles. The four along with Girolamo "Momo" Adamo were taken into custody by authorities, who believed they were responsible for bombing Cohen's home or knew who was. After being questioned, none of them were charged and they were released. Dragna bought a desert ranch outside of Las Vegas in 1951 in hopes of turning it into a casino. Jack Dragna was unable to build a casino and his attempt almost led to his deportation.
According to the book The Last Mafioso, Dragna had the best aim with a gun in the crime family. As consiliere he was able to get his son Louis to become an official member
Made man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
of the L.A. family. When Jack Dragna died in 1956, Tom resigned from the criminal life when Frank DeSimone
Frank DeSimone
Frank A. DeSimone was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1956 to 1967. DeSimone was the son of former don Rosario DeSimone. He was sometime referred to as "One Eye" because one of his eyes drooped, in the same way as Charles "Lucky" Luciano...
was named boss of the family. He still remained close to the crime family afterwards however. Dragna died in 1977.