Dominick Pizzonia

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Dominick Pizzonia aka Skinny Dom (b. November 19, 1941) is a New York mobster with the Gambino crime family who was a hitman and loanshark.

Born in the Ozone Park section of Queens, Pizzonia began working for the Gambino family as a crew member for then caporegime John Gotti. On December 16, 1985, Pizzonia allegedley participated in the assassinations of Gambino boss Paul Castellano and underboss Thomas Bilotti outside a Manhattan steakhouse. After Castellano's murder, Pizzonia's patron Gotti took over as family boss. In June 1988, Pizzonia allegedly murdered mobster Frank Boccia at the family's request. Boccia was murdered because he had abused his mother-in-law, the wife of mobster of Anthony Ruggiano, while Ruggiano was in prison. On December 24, 1988, as a reward for his murders, Pizzonia became a made man, or full member, of the Gambino family.

On December 24, 1992, Pizzonia allegedly participated in the murder of Thomas Uva and his wife Rosemary. Previously that year, the Uvas had robbed social clubs belonging to the Gambino, Bonanno, and Colombo crime families. Pizzonia was especially enraged by the two bandits because they twice robbed Gotti's Bergin Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park, which Pizzonia managed. On Christmas Eve, Pizzonia and mobster Ronnie Trucchio located the Uvas in Queens and shot both of them dead in their car.

In 1995, Pizzonia became the head of a Gambino bookmaking operation and later replaced Peter Gotti as capo.

[edit] Trial

He and long time buddy and Gambino crime family soldiers John Setaro and Johnny "Neck" Pistoia had agreed plead guilty to extortion charges, which meant a longer sentence for the both of them. During the trial Pizzonia said he was an associate with the Gambinos, then took it back, claiming he was hard of hearing and hadn't heard what the judge asked him. He knew enough to say, "I don't belong to the Gambino family." Under further questioning, Pizzonia admitted he knew some members of the family. Then he violated Gotti's rule against admitting a crime with a connection to the activities of the Gambino family. The court asked: "The allegation here is that you were associated in some way; is that true?" Pizzonia said: "Yes ". Pizzonia's lawyer then announced that Pizzonia wished to withdraw his guilty plea. They returned later and Pizzonia then pleaded guilty to extortion.

[edit] Conviction

In May 2007, a federal jury convicted Pizzonia on a racketeering charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the 1992 Uva murders. However, he was found not guilty on three counts of murder and loan sharking. Pizzonia was also found not guilty in the 1988 Boccia murder. Because Pizzonia had already pleaded guilty to a gambling charge before the trial, the one single act of conspiracy was enough to convict him on the entire count. In September 2007, Pizzonia was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

As of May 2008, Pizzonia is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (Otisville) outside New York City. Pizzonia will be 80 years old on his scheduled release on February 28, 2020.