Bay Area (San Francisco, San Jose, Emeryville) Deep Dive

[JCB1977]

June 1, 1947 SF Examiner: Leonard Calamia, arrested for DeJohn Murder where Franzone was wanted for questioning

[JCB1977]

I wonder at what point San Francisco ceased having much of a functional structure. They had a consigliere in 1929 and presumably into the early 30s. By 1960, they had a boss, underboss, and a captain with no crew. In contrast, the FBI had the San Jose family with a full administration, a senior council, and four captains. San Jose also had much stronger influence from fully-functional mafia organizations around the US, which no doubt was a factor.

- Morici is listed as a capodecina in a 1960 FBI report, while on a report from 1968 both he and Zoccoli are both listed as consigliere. From a recorded conversation of James Lanza discussing the San Jose family in the mid-1960s, he indicated Morici was a member of the SJ family's senior council (which other small US families had), which may explain the confusion, as council members were sort of like defacto consiglieri from what we know. Going by other families, it would be possible to have any rank from boss down to soldier and be on the council.

- Stefano Zoccoli's brother Phil may have been a member of influence as well. From the bugged conversation of James Lanza where he is discussing issues concerning Joe Cerrito and San Jose members not following proper protocol, he indicates both Zoccoli brothers have enough standing/influence together in the organization to set things right. It was in the context of this conversation where Morici and Steve Zoccoli were described as council members, so it's possible Phil Zoccoli was another council member though he was a soldier. Phil Zoccoli died in 1969.

- Steve Zoccoli was said by an informant to have had a leadership position of some kind in Pittsburgh before San Jose but no details were given. Both Zoccoli brothers lived in Midland, halfway between Pittsburgh and Youngstown, for decades. Underboss Charles Carbone and capodecina Salvatore Marino were both originally with Pittsburgh, along with some soldiers.

- I haven't seen it confirmed but I'd guess Stefano Cerrito was a member, and if so, probably one of influence. He was literate and had some degree of education, starting businesses soon after his arrival to the US. He was a fruit dealer, then a meat dealer in Manhattan before taking the family to Brooklyn. A few years after arriving into the US, he took his entire family for a visit to Villabate and was close with the Villabatesi in NYC, particularly the Profacis. Along with Sal J. Profaci (Joe's son) staying in California under the banner of the San Jose family, Joe Cerrito stayed with Salvatore Profaci Jr. (Joe's nephew) during at least one visit to NYC prior to a trip to Sicily. Joe Cerrito is similar to James Lanza in that he was a businessman with few if any gangster tendencies and I suspect Cerrito's rise in the organization was similar to Lanza in that it was more the product of tradition than cutthroat organized crime maneuvering, ala Anthony Lima. You can also see this in the way that both Cerrito and Lanza had complete meltdowns due to LE and media pressure. Fellow San Jose Villabatese and capodecina Manny Figilia was also reported to have been close to the Profacis when he lived in New York and I've seen some info on him that hinted at a mafia background in his family; I suspect that all of these men and their older relatives were members/associates of the Profaci family prior to San Jose. I doubt it's a coincidence that the Profaci family was San Jose's Commission representative, both before and after Joe Profaci's death, but whether that influence began after Profaci's paesani became prominent members or if his influence was the product of those paesani's membership would be interesting to know.

- James' brother Anthony Lanza is typically not carried as a member, but one informant described both brothers as members. Another informant simply said that Anthony Lanza was very religious and not involved like his brother, focusing on his insurance business. However, from a bugged conversation between the Lanza brothers, it suggests Anthony could be a member, as James discusses Cosa Nostra politics with him concerning Joe Bonanno and various US bosses and Anthony proves knowledgeable not only of various mafia figures but also the politics of the mafia. Of course it's possible that James was just comfortable speaking openly with his brother given their background.

This photo is of Charles Carbone and family in Johnsonburg, PA when this photo was taken. He was a very close associate of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Tripodi in Steubenville, OH. Steve Zoccoli was in regular contact with Carbone and Tripodi.

[JCB1977]

Salvatore "Sam" Lima Obituary 9.12.1965 SF Examiner ( I find it interesting that his brother Tony was living in Canada at the time of his death. Do we have any evidence of him operating in Canada?)

[JCB1977]

Steve Zoccoli began his career in Pittsburgh/Steubenville, OH before heading out West to San Jose.

1929












The article below is interesting sin e Frank Zapala was representing Zoccoli, Zapala was thew brother in law of Gianni Bazzano Sr.





1935 (Zoccoli still in the Pittsburgh area)

[matteogalante38]

This photo is of Charles Carbone and family in Johnsonburg, PA when this photo was taken. He was a very close associate of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Tripodi in Steubenville, OH. Steve Zoccoli was in regular contact with Carbone and Tripodi.

Thanks, though the photo of Carbone is not showing up for me...

[JCB1977]

Great file showing the relationship between San Jose and Pittsburgh:

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... 4&tab=page

[JCB1977]

This photo is of Charles Carbone and family in Johnsonburg, PA when this photo was taken. He was a very close associate of Vincenzo "Jimmy" Tripodi in Steubenville, OH. Steve Zoccoli was in regular contact with Carbone and Tripodi.

Thanks, though the photo of Carbone is not showing up for me...

The file is showing up on my end. I posted this picture in LaRocca Crime Family photos, head over there to check it out if you don't see it

[JCB1977]

Some early history on Anthony "Tony" Lima while living in Johnstown, PA

10/31/1928 Pittsburgh Press



11/4/1928 Pittsburgh Press



9/25/1930 Pittsburgh Press (Cousin of Anthony Lima was John Bondi)

[JCB1977]

Some early history of Charles Carbone from Johnsonburg, PA

1927

[B.]

- Gentile also talks about Joe Piazza, who he says was a young man during the above events, obviously living in the SF area at the time. What year did the Lonardo "Joe Piazza" flee from Cleveland? Was it early 1920s?

Off the top of my head I think The shooting was in 1919 , so yeah early 20’s , if I am not mistaken there are some marry ferrel reports of a former consigliere moving from Cleveland to San Fran  could establish some connection as to why he went to sams Fran . Again we don’t know if the reports on marry Ferrell are true , but piazza beat extradition to Ohio and at some point was reported missing assumed whacked

Regarding Dominic “Joseph Piazza” Lonardo, I had also assumed that Lonardo could be Frank Lanza’s underboss, though I'm still wrestling with that idea. The Sly-Fanner murders seem to have occurred in December, 1920. I'm not sure when Dominic Lonardo was born, but I'm guessing after 1884, so would it make sense for an underboss to be around that age? And does Gentile ever mention (doesn't seem like it) that Joe Piazza could be from Ohio or related to the Lonardos? If not, is that odd?

Is there any evidence that San Jose soldier Joseph L. Piazza was related to underboss Piazza? It sounds like (Lima) had suggested the elder Piazza was a grandfather of Joseph L., though I haven't found any proof. It sounds like neither of Joseph L.'s grandfathers were named Giuseppe...

Gentile says Piazza was a young man and that Piazza became very close to him in SF, nothing else about his background. Gentile had been part of the Cleveland family where he was a business partner and close friend of Cleveland boss Giuseppe Lonardo. If Piazza is indeed Dominic Lonardo, it would make sense he became close to Gentile in SF given Gentile's ties to the Lonardos. It all makes sense to me,

As for age, Anthony Lima told the FBI he became boss of the SF family in 1929 or 1930, when he would have been between the ages of 23 and 25. There were many bosses in their 20s, so Piazza easily could have been an underboss at any age as well.

Did you see my thread about Schiro's connections to SF?

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=5857

If not, it's a good fit for this discussion.

[Patrickgold]

What happened to Gaetano Balistreri and Giovanni Pietro Toracca? These were two of the active guys in the Bay Area during the 90s

[Nicholas]

Giovanni Pietro Toracca?

Interesting dude

[JCB1977]

[JCB1977]

[JCB1977]

It appears "at least through archived news articles" that 2000 was the last time Toracca made the news. Balistreri hasn't appeared in news articles since 1995