Johnny Papalia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | John Joseph Papalia March 18, 1924 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | May 31, 1997 (aged 73) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Cause of death | Gunshot |
| Resting place | Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Burlington, Ontario, Canada |
| Other names |
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| Occupations | |
| Spouse |
Janetta Hayes
(m. 1981; sep. 1983) |
| Parent(s) | Antonio "Tony" Papalia Maria Rosa Italiano |
| Allegiance | Papalia crime family Buffalo crime family |
| Conviction(s) | Possession of narcotics (1949) Assault (1961) Drug trafficking (1963) Extortion (1975) |
| Criminal penalty | Two years' imprisonment 18 months' imprisonment (commuted) 10 years' imprisonment; served five years Six years' imprisonment; served four years |
John Joseph Papalia (Italian: [papaˈliːa]; March 18, 1924 – May 31, 1997), also known as Johnny Pops Papalia or "The Enforcer", was a Canadian crime boss of the Papalia crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The Papalia crime family is one of three major crime families in Hamilton, the other two being the Musitano crime family and the Luppino crime family.
Papalia was born in Hamilton, to Italian immigrants who also had a history in organized crime. At a young age, he was involved in petty crimes, but by the 1950s, moved his way up to drug trafficking and formed a powerful alliance with the Buffalo crime family. Papalia also operated various gambling bars and vending machine businesses. In the 1960s, he played a role in the French Connection drug smuggling operation, for which he was extradited to the United States and served five years of a 10-year prison sentence. On May 31, 1997, Papalia was shot to death outside his vending machine business by Kenneth Murdock, a hitman hired by Angelo and Pat Musitano of the Musitano crime family.