William Cammisano
Encyclopedia
William "Willie Rat" Dominick Cammisano Sr. (April 26, 1914-January 26, 1995) was a Kansas City
, Missouri, mobster and enforcer for Nicholas Civella
's Kansas City crime family
.
By 1929, Cammisano had an extensive rap sheet. He been arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, bootlegging
, pistol whipping a robbery victim, running an alcohol still
, being AWOL from the U.S. Army, disturbing the peace, and gambling. It was said that he had stolen everything from the wheels off a truck to the rings off a woman’s fingers. Cammisano once served a felony sentence at a federal prison in El Reno, Oklahoma
. In the 1940s, he opened a tavern and called it the El Reno Bar, stating that had been the name of his favorite prison. He is the father and namesake of William Dominick Cammisano Jr. born May 8, 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri
.
A high ranking member of Civella's organization, Cammisano was called in 1980 to appear before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee investigating organized crime activity in Kansas City. During the investigation, government witness Fred Harvey Bonadonna described how Cammisano's used strong arm tactics in the River Quay neighborhood redevelopment project to turn the area into a red light district
with brothel
s and other vice. Bonadonna stated that Cammisano murdered his father, a business associate of Cammisano's, for refusing to obtain liquor licenses for mob establishments in River Quay: "Willie [Cammisano] told my father that he would kill me. My father (David) said he'd have to kill him first."
During the Senate investigation, Cammisano was serving a five year prison sentence for extortion
in Springfield, Missouri
. Cammisano refused to cooperate with the committee; he was cited for Contempt of Congress
on May 14, 1981 and received added prison time.
With Civella's conviction in 1983, Cammisano became the new leader of the Kansas City organization. Because of the unfavorable publicity of recent criminal trials, the Chicago Outfit officially disowned Kansas City as an affiliate. This gave Cammisano the opportunity to establish new operations in California
, Florida
and Washington, D.C without Outfit approval or interference. This expansion reinvigorated the Kansas city organization.
On January 26, 1995, William Cammisano died of multiple organ failure related to lung disease. His son William "Willie" Cammisano, Jr. pleaded guilty to running illegal gambling in Kansas City in February 2010 and is considered a capo. The family is said to currently have 20-25 made members.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri, mobster and enforcer for Nicholas Civella
Nicholas Civella
Nicholas Civella was a Kansas City, Missouri mobster who became a prominent leader of the Kansas City crime family.-Early life:...
's Kansas City crime family
Kansas City crime family
The Kansas City crime family, also known as the Civella crime family, is a Mafia family based in Kansas City, Missouri.-Early history:...
.
By 1929, Cammisano had an extensive rap sheet. He been arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
, pistol whipping a robbery victim, running an alcohol still
Still
A still is a permanent apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor...
, being AWOL from the U.S. Army, disturbing the peace, and gambling. It was said that he had stolen everything from the wheels off a truck to the rings off a woman’s fingers. Cammisano once served a felony sentence at a federal prison in El Reno, Oklahoma
El Reno, Oklahoma
El Reno is a city in Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States, in the central part of the state. A part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area, El Reno is west of downtown Oklahoma City...
. In the 1940s, he opened a tavern and called it the El Reno Bar, stating that had been the name of his favorite prison. He is the father and namesake of William Dominick Cammisano Jr. born May 8, 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
A high ranking member of Civella's organization, Cammisano was called in 1980 to appear before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee investigating organized crime activity in Kansas City. During the investigation, government witness Fred Harvey Bonadonna described how Cammisano's used strong arm tactics in the River Quay neighborhood redevelopment project to turn the area into a red light district
Red Light District
Red Light District may refer to:* Red-light district - a neighborhood where prostitution is common* The Red Light District - the title of the 2004 album by rapper Ludacris* Red Light District Video - a pornography studio based in Los Angeles, California...
with brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s and other vice. Bonadonna stated that Cammisano murdered his father, a business associate of Cammisano's, for refusing to obtain liquor licenses for mob establishments in River Quay: "Willie [Cammisano] told my father that he would kill me. My father (David) said he'd have to kill him first."
During the Senate investigation, Cammisano was serving a five year prison sentence for 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...
in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
. Cammisano refused to cooperate with the committee; he was cited for Contempt of Congress
Contempt of Congress
Contempt of Congress is the act of obstructing the work of the United States Congress or one of its committees. Historically the bribery of a senator or representative was considered contempt of Congress...
on May 14, 1981 and received added prison time.
With Civella's conviction in 1983, Cammisano became the new leader of the Kansas City organization. Because of the unfavorable publicity of recent criminal trials, the Chicago Outfit officially disowned Kansas City as an affiliate. This gave Cammisano the opportunity to establish new operations in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Washington, D.C without Outfit approval or interference. This expansion reinvigorated the Kansas city organization.
On January 26, 1995, William Cammisano died of multiple organ failure related to lung disease. His son William "Willie" Cammisano, Jr. pleaded guilty to running illegal gambling in Kansas City in February 2010 and is considered a capo. The family is said to currently have 20-25 made members.
Further reading
- Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
External links
- New York Times: Gangster Faces New Jail Term
- Chronological of La Cosa Nostra in the United States: January 1920-August 1987 by the United States Department of Justice Criminal DivisionUnited States Department of Justice Criminal DivisionThe U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws in the United States, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. Criminal Division attorneys prosecute many nationally significant cases and formulate and...
's Organized Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit. - The History of the Kansas City Family by Allan May
- American Mafia: Kansas City by Jay C. Ambler