Dominic Brooklier
Encyclopedia
Dominic Phillip Brooklier (November 19, 1914 — July 18, 1984), was an Italian American
mobster and head of the Los Angeles crime family
of the Mafia
during the mid-1970s who mainly worked in pornography
, extortion
, and burglary
.
's syndicate gambling operations in Southern California
in the 1940s under the name Jimmy Regace. During the Sunset Wars of the 1940s, Brooklier defected to rival Los Angeles mobster Jack Dragna
's Los Angeles crime family
. In 1947, Brooklier he became a made man
in the family. While working for Dragna, Brooklier unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Cohen as he left a restaurant. From 1947 to 1953, Brooklier worked closely with Los Angeles family member Jimmy Fratianno
in loan shark
ing. At some time in the late 1960s, Brooklier was promoted to caporegime
in charge of a crew in Orange County
, where he also lived. Sometime later, he legally changed his name to Dominic Brooklier.
In early 1974, Brooklier replaced the deceased Joseph Dippolito
as family underboss
. On October 19, 1974, family boss Nick Licata
died and Brooklier was elected the new boss. Also in 1974, Brooklier and new underboss Samuel Sciortino were charged with racketeering under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO). Brooklier was specifically charged with extorting payments from a bookmaker in 1973. On April 17, 1975, the two men pleaded guilty to one count.
of the Los Angeles family. Unknown to Brooklier, Bompensiero was now working as a Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) informant. In March 1976, Bompensiero persuaded Brooklier to extort payments from Forex, a new company that produced pornography
. However, Forex was actually created by the FBI as a sting operation
. When the family discovered the sting, Fratianno immediately suspected Bompernsiero of being an informant. On February 10, 1977, Los Angeles mobster Thomas Ricciardi finally fulfilled the murder contract by shooting Bompensiero in a phone booth near his apartment.
as his acting boss. Seeing a challenge to his authority, Brooklier placed a murder contract
on Fratianno for what he felt was Fratianno's attempt at trying to usurp him. However, Fratiano had been informed by the FBI of the contract and Fratianno agreed to turn state's evidence
and testify against his Mafia associates in 1979. Fratianno now implicated Brooklier in the 1977 Bompensiero killing.
On February 28, 1978 Brooklier was indicted on charges of racketeering, extortion
, and murder charges. He was convicted of racketeering, but was acquitted of Bompensiero's murder in 1981. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison and began serving his time in 1983. On July 18, 1984, Dominic Brooklier died of a heart attack at the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) near Tucson, Arizona
.
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
mobster and head 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...
of the Mafia
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
during the mid-1970s who mainly worked in pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
.
Early years
Born Domenico Brucceleri, Brooklier joined 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 syndicate gambling operations in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
in the 1940s under the name Jimmy Regace. During the Sunset Wars of the 1940s, Brooklier defected to rival Los Angeles mobster 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...
's 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...
. In 1947, Brooklier he became a made man
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...
in the family. While working for Dragna, Brooklier unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Cohen as he left a restaurant. From 1947 to 1953, Brooklier worked closely with Los Angeles family member Jimmy Fratianno
Jimmy Fratianno
Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno was a Cleveland, Ohio, mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family before becoming a government witness...
in loan shark
Loan shark
A loan shark is a person or body that offers unsecured loans at illegally high interest rates to individuals, often enforcing repayment by blackmail or threats of violence....
ing. At some time in the late 1960s, Brooklier was promoted to caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
in charge of a crew in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, where he also lived. Sometime later, he legally changed his name to Dominic Brooklier.
In early 1974, Brooklier replaced the deceased Joseph Dippolito
Joseph Dippolito
Joseph Charles Dippolito, also known as "Joe Dip", was an Italian American Mafia member in the Los Angeles crime family. The son of fellow Mafioso Salvatore Charles Dippolito , he rose to become Underboss of the Los Angeles crime family...
as family 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...
. On October 19, 1974, family boss Nick Licata
Nick Licata (mobster)
Nick "Old Man" Licata was an Italian American mobster who was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1967 until his death in 1974.-Early life:...
died and Brooklier was elected the new boss. Also in 1974, Brooklier and new underboss Samuel Sciortino were charged with racketeering under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO). Brooklier was specifically charged with extorting payments from a bookmaker in 1973. On April 17, 1975, the two men pleaded guilty to one count.
Bompensiero murder
In 1975, Brooklier ordered the killing of Los Angeles mobster Frank "The Bomp" Bompensiero. Brooklier had lost trust in Bompensiero's ability to keep secrets, and was angry at his criticisms of Brooklier's leadership. However, Bompensiero, fearing a mob hit, proved to be a elusive target. In 1976, to allay Bompernsiero's suspicions, Brooklier appointed him consigliereConsigliere
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...
of the Los Angeles family. Unknown to Brooklier, Bompensiero was now working as a Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) informant. In March 1976, Bompensiero persuaded Brooklier to extort payments from Forex, a new company that produced pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
. However, Forex was actually created by the FBI as a sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
. When the family discovered the sting, Fratianno immediately suspected Bompernsiero of being an informant. On February 10, 1977, Los Angeles mobster Thomas Ricciardi finally fulfilled the murder contract by shooting Bompensiero in a phone booth near his apartment.
Conflict with Fratianno
While Brooklier was serving prison time in the mid 1970s, he appointed Jimmy FratiannoJimmy Fratianno
Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno was a Cleveland, Ohio, mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family before becoming a government witness...
as his acting boss. Seeing a challenge to his authority, Brooklier placed a murder contract
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
on Fratianno for what he felt was Fratianno's attempt at trying to usurp him. However, Fratiano had been informed by the FBI of the contract and Fratianno agreed to turn state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
and testify against his Mafia associates in 1979. Fratianno now implicated Brooklier in the 1977 Bompensiero killing.
On February 28, 1978 Brooklier was indicted on charges of racketeering, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and murder charges. He was convicted of racketeering, but was acquitted of Bompensiero's murder in 1981. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison and began serving his time in 1983. On July 18, 1984, Dominic Brooklier died of a heart attack at the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) near 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...
.
Further reading
- Kelly, Robert J. Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000. ISBN 0-313-30653-2
- Demaris, Ovid. The Last Mafioso, Bantam (November 1, 1985) ISBN 0-553-27091-5