Died Tucson, AZ, July 18, 1984.
Early in his underworld career, he was responsible for at least one failed attempt on the life of Dragna rival Mickey Cohen.
Upon the death of Nick Licata in 1974, Brucceleri rose to lead the L.A. Mob. It appears that he became wise to the betrayal of informant Frank Bompensiero, leader of the Sicilian underworld in San Diego, and ordered Bompensiero executed. The order was not carried out until several years later.
Brucceleri spent much of his term as Family boss in prison. He was convicted of various crimes, including armed robbery, larceny and interstate transportation of forged documents. In 1975, he was jailed for extorting money from gamblers and dealers of pornography.
Late in 1980, he and codefendants Samuel Orlando Sciortino and Louis Tom Dragna were acquitted of the 1977 Bompensiero murder. However, they were convicted of racketeering, extortion and conspiracy charges. Also convicted in the same case were Jack LoCicero and Michael Rizzitello.
Brooklier was sentenced to four years in federal prison. He remained free as he pursued legal appeals.
He began his prison term on Aug. 27, 1983. Though originally ordered to serve his sentence in Minnesota, his southern California family convinced the court to order his transfer to Arizona for health reasons.
Brooklier died in the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in Tucson, AZ, on July 18, 1984.
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