Frank Bompensiero

Frank Bompensiero
Frank Bompensiero in an FBI picture (with file markings) taken in Palm Springs.
Born	(1905-10-29)October 29, 1905 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	February 10, 1977(1977-02-10) (aged 71) San Diego, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Murder
Nationality	American
Other names	Bomp
Known for	Mob Activity
Spouse(s)	Marie Bompensiero
Children	Mary
Relatives	Salvatore (brother)

Frank "Bomp" Bompensiero (October 29, 1905 – February 10, 1977) was a Mafia hitman and longtime Caporegime in the Los Angeles crime family. In 1956, with the death of boss Jack Dragna, Bompensiero was reduced to the rank of soldier by the new boss, Frank DeSimone. He was the older brother of associate Salvatore "Sam" Bompensiero. Bompensiero made a name for himself for the many killings he committed on the orders of his superiors. Jimmy Fratianno, a close associate, once said that Bompensiero "had buried more bones than could be found in the brontosaurus room of the Museum of Natural History."

Bompensiero's family was from Sicily. His family immigrated to the United States in 1904 along with the Balistieri family (Frank Balistrieri would eventually lead the Milwaukee crime family). After the family settled in Milwaukee Bompensiero was born on October 29, 1905. As a child he attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Milwaukee, but dropped out after the third grade. While in Milwaukee, he worked at an automobile parts manufacturer. He moved to San Diego as a young man in the mid-1920s and also served in the United States Army for a year. It was during his time in San Diego that he worked in organized crime. He eventually married Thelma Jan San-Felippe and had one child, a daughter Mary Ann. He also had a grandson named Frank. His first address in San Diego was at 5878 Estelle St. before moving to the Pacific Beach neighborhood later on in his life.

Bompensiero's early career in San Diego dates to the 1920s. Here he met Jack Dragna, who was working for the Los Angeles crime family and became his mentor. During this time he was active in bootlegging in San Diego during the prohibition era. He was convicted of a liquor violation in San Diego and his other early arrests were for possession of firearms, illegal gambling, kidnapping and murder. He eventually served a year in McNeil Island Corrections Center for the liquor conviction and was released in 1933. Impressed with the young criminal, Dragna eventually made him a caporegime (captain), placing him in charge of all of the L.A. family's interests in San Diego. He was later wanted for murder and was forced to leave the city to avoid law enforcement scrutiny, but returned in 1941. During the 1940s and 1950s, Bompensiero owned a San Diego music store with Gaspare Matranga and a wire service company. He also owned the Gold Rail cafe in downtown that he owned with Dragna's son Frank and nephew Louis. Bompensiero and his men owned and operated several bars in the downtown area where they often conducted loan sharking operations. During this time he was also used by Dragna as a hitman in San Diego and Los Angeles. He was involved in one of the botched attempts on Mickey Cohen's life. His San Diego crew consisted of men like Tony Mirable, Paul Mirable, Gaspare Matranga, Joe Adamo, Biaggio Bonventre, and Joseph Li Mandri. His close associates in Los Angeles included Jimmy Fratianno and Leo Moceri, both of whom he teamed up with on multiple occasions to commit murder. In 1955, Bompensiero was convicted of bribery, and conspiracy in an illegal liquor license transaction and was sentenced to 3–42 years in prison. He began his sentence at Chino in San Bernardino. While in prison, his wife Thelma died of a stroke. Bompensiero was escorted from prison by the police so he could attend her funeral. He was later transferred to San Quentin State Prison in Northern California, the same place where Jimmy Fratianno was serving a prison sentence.