San Jose family

[B.]

The talk about the San Jose family has me wanting to start another topic abgout their family. I don't know a whole lot, only that they were small and many members had relatives and ties to other families. A lot of them seem to have kept up a legitimate front pretty well, but they were surprisingly well-connected to what was going on nationally.

One thing that interests me particularly is how Angelo Marino was connected to Philadelphia through his marriage to Michael Maggio's daughter. He and his father Salvatore had a cheese business of their own and Angelo traveled to Philly to do business with his brother-in-law Peter Maggio. Marino's ex-wife and daughter also moved back to Philly after they divorced. Anthony Maggio lived in the Bay Area and apparently transferred from the Philly family to the San Jose family. Marino's father Sal had been a capo, so I wonder if he was close to Michael Maggio for some reason or if they come from the same part of Sicily or what.

So what does everyone know about this family? Why was it necessary to have a separate group in San Jose instead of including it with the San Francisco family? All of the families in California seem to have had a lot of transplants so that part isn't strange, but I do want to know is how this particular group of transplants came together and became a family. This is a family of only a couple dozen people yet there are strong ties to Bonanno, Profaci, Pittsburgh, and probably other places. Boss Cerrito and other members were from Villabate. The family was like a supergroup of "sleepers".

It almost seems like San Jose was created by other bosses on the east coast solely for political reasons.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

B, SJ split from SF cause they did not want to pay tribute to SF. By 1928, San Jose was there own group, cause San Francisco was too involved with their own fighting in San Francisco. In all of this I find the city of Santa Clara the most interesting cause it had part of the Alumni Rock gang (North San Jose crew), San Francisco members, and a few other made men who belonged to other families. San Jose two mob gangs fought each other till 1931. Joe Vicari, his father was New Orleans Capo, his children would marry members to Detroit and Buffalo crime families, and he was a brother in law to the Sciortinos, also his sisters would marry members of Dallas, Colorado and Bonanno families. He had cousins in the Kansas and St.Louis families. The San Jose leadership has always been blood or marriage related, from the first official boss (Pietro, first name only known who was an old guy in his late 60s to early 70s, from New Orleans, who fled the city with a few other made men after the lynching in 1933 by citizens of SJ of murderers who killed a Jewish kid. Apparently Pietro and a couple of other members had witnessed what had happened in New Orleans in 1891, and it reminded them of that event) all the way to Emanuele Figlia.
One section of San Jose that is forgotten a lot is Goosetown(it would be San Jose little Italy) which is were many mobster would go when entering California. Known members, the Sciortino brothers, one would remain in SJ, one to SF, and one to LA. Jack and Tom Dragna who would go to LA. Frank Lanza would go to SF. Rosario DeSimone would go to LA. There are too many to name.
For the recorded, Salvatore Marino, father Angelo would move to San Jose, but would remain with the Pittsburgh family. Anthony Maggio would move out there but remain with the Philadelphia family.

[HairyKnuckles]

In 1967, the FBI listed the following as made members of the San Jose Family:

DOMINICK ANZALONE
FRANK G. BUFFA
ALEX CAMARATA
CHARLES CARBONE (Underboos, died in January 1967)
JOSEPH CERRITO (Boss)
SALVATORE NICK CERRITO
SALVATORE JOHN COSTANZA
DONATO DITRI
ANTONIO DIGIOVANNI DITRI
DOMINIC FERRITO
EMANUAL JOSEPH FIGLIA (Capodecina)
GERALD JOSEPH GALLO
GREGORY WILLIAM GENOVESE
ANGELO GIAMMONA
NICOLO MARIO GUASTELLA
ANTHONY BONEFIELO MAGGIO
ANGELO ANTHONY MARINO
SALVATORE MARINO
PETER MISURACA
PHILIP OCTAVIA MORICI (Consigliere)
THOMAS J. NICOSIA
ANTHONY SCAVUZZO
FRANK FRED SORCE
SALVATORE ANDREA VASSALLO
FILLIPO ZOCCOLI
STEFANO "STEVE" J. ZOCCOLI (Consigliere)

I´m not sure why the FBI listed two different individuals as consigliere. It´s possible one of them were only acting for the other. When the list was made (in October 1967), the position of underboss had not yet been filled.

[cavita]

So where does San Diego fit in all this, as far as their history and who they answered to?

[jimmyb]

So where does San Diego fit in all this, as far as their history and who they answered to?

Not sure if this is correct, but I always had impression San Diego was an open city. You had LA guys operating down there, but Detroit had a lot of action there too. Frank Coppola was in Tijuana for awhile. Salvatore Vitale in SD too. A lot of Detroit connections there: Matranga, Mirabile, Licata, I think a few more.

But I don't know, maybe Detroit guys had to get permission from LA org.

[Antiliar]

San Diego was part of the Los Angeles Family (it had a crew operating there), but people from other Families lived there too, just like they did in other places. The Milanos lived in Los Angeles but were still part of Cleveland, Anthony Pinelli and even Tony Accardo lived in So. Cal. but were still part of Chicago. For a while the Decavalcantes even had someone operating in New York City.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

That 1967 list is not accurate. Donato Ditri was not made till the 1970s. Vito Adragna was made in the early 1960s. Emanuele Figlia was not a capo at the time. Angelo Marino was bumped up to Capo a year before. Gerald Gallo was a made man in Sicily, and did not belong to SJ. His brother was made. Genovese belonged to the San Francisco family. Guastella was with the Bonanno family, and would remained with Joe Bonanno till he died in 77. Charles Carbone was not the Underboss, he was Consiglieri, he took over for Stefano Zoccoli in 59'. Thomas Nicosia passed away in 66. Stefano Zoccoli was the Underboss from 1966 to 1972 or 73.
The list is missing three Joes, Joe Chiri, Giuseppe Gallo, and Joe Misuraca, who was shelved around the time.

[JCB1977]

In 1967, the FBI listed the following as made members of the San Jose Family:

DOMINICK ANZALONE
FRANK G. BUFFA
ALEX CAMARATA
CHARLES CARBONE (Underboos, died in January 1967)
JOSEPH CERRITO (Boss)
SALVATORE NICK CERRITO
SALVATORE JOHN COSTANZA
DONATO DITRI
ANTONIO DIGIOVANNI DITRI
DOMINIC FERRITO
EMANUAL JOSEPH FIGLIA (Capodecina)
GERALD JOSEPH GALLO
GREGORY WILLIAM GENOVESE
ANGELO GIAMMONA
NICOLO MARIO GUASTELLA
ANTHONY BONEFIELO MAGGIO
ANGELO ANTHONY MARINO
SALVATORE MARINO
PETER MISURACA
PHILIP OCTAVIA MORICI (Consigliere)
THOMAS J. NICOSIA
ANTHONY SCAVUZZO
FRANK FRED SORCE
SALVATORE ANDREA VASSALLO
FILLIPO ZOCCOLI
STEFANO "STEVE" J. ZOCCOLI (Consigliere)

I´m not sure why the FBI listed two different individuals as consigliere. It´s possible one of them were only acting for the other. When the list was made (in October 1967), the position of underboss had not yet been filled.

Dominick Anzalone was made in Pittsburgh and came up under Antonio Ripepi. Salvatore Marino Sr was from Sharon, PA and owned the Sharon Cheese Company which later became the California Cheese Company which the Marino family sold to Sargento for millions of dollars. Stefano "Steve" Zoccoli was very close to Antonio Ripepi (Pittsburgh), Vincenzo Tripodi (Steubenville, OH) and Cosmo Quattrone (Steubenville, OH).

Also, John LaRocca had cousins in San Francisco and was particularly close to Jimmy Lanza and Joe Cerrito. His cousins were both made members in San Francisco, Alphonse and Pasquale. Due to Big John LaRocca's connections to the West Coast, several of his guys went out there.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Actually, Pittsburgh sent over about fifteen of their people to the bay area, over time, only half were already made or would be made. San Jose had guys who were once with Colorado, Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Orleans, New York (Bonanno, Genovese, and Profaci families), Dallas, and New Jersey.
Steve Zoccoli was the first and longest serving Consiglieri for the family in the late 1930s when Pat Saragusa fled to San Francisco, and another member disappeared. From 1934 til 1941 it is real murky with the familys leadership as Pietro fled in 33, and Joe Vicari went to prison in 34. Sciortino became boss in 41 with the backing of Joe Bonanno, Frank Costello, Stefano Magaddino, and Joe Profaci on the commission..

[BeatiPaoli]

Gentlemen: I thought I was a fairly intelligent person, but this thread has absolutely confused me regarding the history and membership of the San Jose Family, which, up until now, I thought was pretty straight-forward! Is there any concise source--a book, major article, periodical piece--that gives the pertinent information about the history and membership of the San Jose Family in a chronological, concise manner? A reference, anyone?

And if there isn't, there should be.

Regards,
Beati Paoli

[JCB1977]

Gentlemen: I thought I was a fairly intelligent person, but this thread has absolutely confused me regarding the history and membership of the San Jose Family, which, up until now, I thought was pretty straight-forward! Is there any concise source--a book, major article, periodical piece--that gives the pertinent information about the history and membership of the San Jose Family in a chronological, concise manner? A reference, anyone?

And if there isn't, there should be.

Regards,
Beati Paoli

http://www.onewal.com/a022/f_nocalinf.html


http://www.cosanostranews.com/2014/05/t ... d.html?m=1


https://books.google.com/books?id=5EwEA ... ip&f=false


http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19690822.2.63

[Pete]

San Diego was part of the Los Angeles Family (it had a crew operating there), but people from other Families lived there too, just like they did in other places. The Milanos lived in Los Angeles but were still part of Cleveland, Anthony Pinelli and even Tony Accardo lived in So. Cal. but were still part of Chicago. For a while the Decavalcantes even had someone operating in New York City.

Chris petti operated for years in San diego but belonged to chicago. Grew up around the Cicero crew

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Not a whole lot of infomation on The bay area families, but if you look into news paper articles and arrest reports going back to the 1920s you will fine a lot of information out there.

Most reports says the SJ family was formed in 1942, but it goes back farther then that. The official line up from what I have gathered from 1941 is, Boss Onofrio Sciortino, UB Joseph Lintini acting for Giuseppe Vicari who was in prison, Consiglieri Steven Zoccoli, Capo Joseph Cusenza, Capo Vittorio Mannarino.

Here is the Members I have for the 1930s.
1. Antonio Bello, Member of the Bonanno crime family. Most likely served as an intermediate Boss with the loss of the original San Jose leadership in the early and mid 1930s. Not much I can find him as he had an argument with Bonanno member Giuseppe Venza and moved to San Diego.
2. Joseph Cusenza
3. Alphonso Gunetta, listed as a boss of Oakland, but was only a soldier in Lintini crew.
4. Joseph Lintini
5. Vittorio Mannarino, passed away around the same time as Lintini.
6. Joseph Misuraca
7. Phillip Morici
8. Gaetano Nicosia
9. Anthony Scavuzzo
10. Vito Sciortino, Father of Carmelo and Onofrio Sciortino.
11. Carmelo Sciortino, Made in Los Angeles, transferred to San Francisco till his uncle Antonio Sciortino passed, then went with San Jose.
12. Onofrio Sciortino
13. Pasquale Siragusa, made a power play with the backing of Gaetano Lazio Jr. of San Francisco, Chicago, and Mangano families. Failed and fled to San Francisco.
14. Salvatore Vassallo, Bonanno member who moved to San Jose in 1934 to help the San Jose family. Salvatore was the conduit between San Jose and the Bonanno family, not his brother in law Nicolo Guastella as many sources claim.
15. Giuseppe Vicari
16. Steven Zoccoli, moved to San Jose in 1933 to help the family.

Possible members
1. Leopold Caruso
2. Pietro Cantere
3. Bruno Tarantino
4. There is a Vultaggio during this time. The closes I have come to identify this man is Santo Vultaggio, but Santo Vultaggio was with the Bonanno family and died in New York City in 1938.

Frank Buffa was around during this time but was not made yet.

[BeatiPaoli]

To JCB1977 and Giacomo_Vacari: Thank you very much for the references! It is about time someone wrote a book chronicling the history and memberships of the San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles Families of California.

Regards,
BeatiPaoli

[Giacomo_Vacari]

JCB, you can trace Pittsburgh and SF connections through Giorgio Conte, and the Canvelleris as well.