Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. In this episode, we explore the captivating story of Dominic Napolitano aka “Sonny Black” and his crew, prominent members of the Bonanno crime family. We delve into Sonny Black’s rise through the mafia ranks, his close bond with Joe Massino, and their involvement in various criminal activities. The dynamics between Sonny Black and Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco, unfold in a tale of trust and betrayal. We uncover Sonny Black’s illegal activities and Joe Pistone’s undercover role, highlighting the dangers of organized crime. Lastly, we examine the aftermath and the impact on the Bonanno family. Plus, we hear retired FBI Agent Doug Fencl’s account of telling Sonny Black that the man he knows as Donnie Brasco is FBI agent Joe Pistone.

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Transcript

…outside till I could see nobody else was in there, and I went in, and I introduced myself to him, and he’d heard my name before, so he knew who I was, and he went ballistic, and I mean…

[0:00] Well, hey, all you wiretappers out there back here in studio of Gangland Wire, retired intelligence unit detective Gary Jenkins, I’ve got the story of Dominic Sonny Black Napoleon Tano.

He is he will go down in history as the most stand up guy ever, I think, in the mob.

You know, he and Joe Pistone, those are two names that are forever, I mean, forever intertwined in the history of organized crime in the United States.

Their story is one of trust, betrayal, and the dangerous world of the Mafia, and believe me, we know it’s a dangerous spot out there.

Sonny Black Napolitano was a really high -ranking member of the Bonanno family, and one of the five families that dominated organized crime in New York City during the mid -20th century.

[0:44] He was known as a tough, savvy mobster, had risen through the ranks really by his personality, his strong personality, his leadership skills, and a sheer force of will. This guy, he was a man’s man.

He was born in 1930, which doesn’t make him 93 today. That’s kind of hard to believe, isn’t it?

A little history on him. His grandparents were immigrants from Naples now, so he’s Napolitano.

He was not from Sicily. He was from Naples, so he is not born and bred mafia dude.

Sonny Black was born with blonde hair, of all things, but by his 40s, it turned to kind of a gunmetal white silver color.

And to hide that color, he dyed it black, which gave him the nickname Sonny Black.

He was a really close friend to the future Bonanno crime family boss, Joe Massino, all through his mob career.

[1:35] He lived in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. He was born there.

He grew up there. He raised his children there. He died there.

Sonny Black rose to prominence as a soldier when he was taken in the crew of a guy named Mike Sabella in the 1970s, the early 70s.

Now, Mike Sabella was closely connected to Carmine the Cigar Galante and that faction, the Bonanno family. And he was demoted after the cigar was murdered.

Now, the cigar, Carmine, just a little bit about him, you know, he was a really bad dude.

He was one tough mafia gangster.

If you’ve ever seen the picture of the guy laying dead with a cigar clamped between his lips, one of the most famous mob pictures, one of the most iconic mob murder scenes ever,