Thomas (Tommy the Enforcer) Altamura: A Deadly Showdown

Thomas "Tommy the Enforcer" Altamura was a feared Gambino soldier who made his mark in New York and Miami. A strong-arm enforcer, bookie, and shylock, he worked closely with Santo Trafficante and Carlo Gambino. But in 1967, his tough-guy persona caught up with him -- leading to a deadly showdown.

Thomas (Tommy the Enforcer) Altamura was born in New York City on November 3, 1913, and raised in Queens's Corona section.

Thomas Altamura

Although he was originally from New York, after a checkered career in the Big Apple, where he had served several prison terms, he began looking for greener pastures after he was paroled.

By 1956 or 1957, he moved south and, for many years thereafter, resided at 1075 N.E. 88th Street in Miami.

FBI # 511563

Altamura was long identified as a Gambino member. He was a very active hoodlum known as one of the primary Florida representatives of his borgata. He originally came to Florida at the suggestion of his friend, Frank Bruno, of the Tampa mob.

Another close friend was said to have been Jimmy Costa Longo, another highly-placed member of the Tampa-based Trafficante Family .

When he first moved down, it was believed that Santo Trafficante was almost a daily visitor and companion to Altamura, helping him get established there. As a member of another borgata, the Tampa mob put their best foot forward to show the utmost respect to another crew -- and a NYC-based crew at that.

Altamura's arrest record started in NYC and lists the following:

1932 -- robbery (3 to 6 years state jail - Sing Sing)

1936 -- armed robbery by gun (5 to 10 state prison at Sing Sing)

In 1958, he was a prime suspect in the gangland-style killing of Joe Peluza Diaz in Tampa, Florida. Diaz was murdered by two shotgun blasts. Altamura was also suspected in the gangland killing of his ex-partner Louis Silvers , who had been co-owner of a Miami Beach small grocery store.

He was known as a strong-arm man and enforcer through the years, hence his nickname, “Tommy the Enforcer.” It is believed Altamura had done a lot of “work” in his day.

Altamura was said to have been partners with Joe Chierico in a bookie ring and known to have been an active loanshark. Their bookmaking “office” was said to be run by Louis Krueter (FBI # 892086C).

In 1963, both Krueter and Anthony (Donuts) Donadio were nabbed for gambling without a federal tax stamp. Their gambling partnership was said to have later gone defunct.

In general, Tommy was not known as a money guy and had a reputation as a hard-luck hood who struggled financially over the years.

By the late 1950s, Tommy Altamura was officially listed as the manager (and hidden part-owner) of Sonny’s Italian Restaurant at 247 23rd Street in Miami Beach.

By 1963, he was said to have divested his interest in the place.

Among his more active associations over the years were:

Joseph (Joe Rivers) Silesi -- His reputed capo and a longtime gambling figure active, specifically, in large floating crap games in both NY and Miami. For years in NYC he was known to have run the “Joe Rivers game”, a major dice game that operated for years, among the largest in NYC. Others who ran large dice games knew they had to buck the “Joe Rivers” game as competition when opening up.

Joseph (Joe Scootch) Indelicato -- A longtime NYC-based soldier who migrated south in the late-1940s.

Santo Trafficante -- Boss of the Tampa Family. Said to have been a close associate and friend of Altamura.

Stefano (Steve) Randazzo -- a capo in the Trafficante mob, and a known associate of Altamura in Miami.

Joseph (Chick) Chierico (FBI # 411828D) -- pizzeria and restaurant owner, Gambino associate, and bookmaking partner of Altamura.

David (Davy Crockett) Iacovetti -- A CT-based soldier who later chose to migrate down to Miami and establish operations.

Frank Taccetta (MI-PD # C270795) -- Known as a shylock pushing Altamura’s money “on the streets”.

Agostino (Augie) Amato -- A well-respected old-timer and original capo down in Florida for the Family. He would later share oversight with Joe Rivers Silesi in guiding the Florida regime soldiers. He had two sons who were also active. The Amatos were known as big shylocks in the area. They were also active in the jukebox/vending machine rackets.

Guido Penosi -- Another Family member and suspected top narcotics trafficker and supplier to mob guys in Florida and New York.

Altamuro's criminal activities included bookmaking, shylocking, strong-arm enforcer, extortion and shakedowns, and suspected narcotics

One evening in 1962, FBI agents observed Altamura visiting Anthony Stefano Randazzo’s home at 8865 NE 9th Court in Miami. They said that Randazzo, Altamura, Lucchese capo Joseph (Joe Palisades) Rosato, and Carlo Gambino held a meeting lasting several hours.

This “three Family” meeting representing the Trafficante, Lucchese, and Gambino borgatas was obviously held to coordinate racket activity in the South Florida area. And it spoke of Altamura’s standing, at that time, to be in the company of Carlo, the Family Boss.

On October 31, 1967, Altamura was abruptly shot dead one night in the Harbor Lounge, a Miami nightclub owned by Anthony (Big Tony) Esperti, another Gambino-affiliated hood who had a long-running argument and deep animosity with Altamura.

Harbor Lounge

It’s alleged that the week previous to the killing, Altamura had threatened Esperti to never show his face around the Miami Causeway area if he did not wanna be killed. “Tough Tony” Esperti, as he was called, decided to confront Altamura head.

Tommy the Enforcer shot dead.

Thomas “Tommy the Enforcer” Altamura was only 54 years old! I guess he never learned a very important lesson that my family had taught me long ago when I was a teenager growing up and just starting to spread my wings.

That there are NO “tough guys” in this life. That all the tough guys end up in the cemetery. And that it's better to be a nice, respectful guy as opposed to trying to be a tough guy! Hopefully, you end up dying in bed with your shoes off!

Postscript: In 1968, it was said that his mob superior “Joe Rivers” Silesi had gone around looking to straighten out all the shylock loan accounts that Altamura had out “on the street”. Silesi discovered that Altamura had been apparently robbing his mob backers and that Altamura’s “books” reflected larger debts than were actually owed.

This was brought to light when Silesi endeavored to collect this money. It seems that “Tommy the Enforcer” had been a cutie pie with his “friends,” pocketing their money. So it looks like the chickens finally came home to roost.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Thomas (Tommy the Enforcer) Altamura: A Deadly Showdown

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