TAMPA, Fla. - From the gangland days of the early 20th century to the 1960s and 70s gangsters, the mafia and Tampa have always been intertwined.
During its mid-century peak, organized crime controlled or had a hand in everything from gambling and prostitution to political corruption, election rigging, unions and more.
And Tampa was right in the middle of it.
On this episode of To The Point Already, anchors Rick Elmhorst and Roy De Jesus talk with organized crime writer Scott M. Deitche about Tampa's vivid mob backstory.
"The history of the mafia in Tampa is part of the history of Tampa," said Deitche, a Bay area-based writer who has written extensively about mafia history in Tampa. "(Mafia bosses) controlled politicians, elections and had hands in legitimate businesses."
The fabric of the Tampa's history is richly woven with stories of ruthless gangsters who first grabbed control of illegal bolita gambling and liquor distribution during Prohibition, executed rivals, controlled the narcotics trade and eventually broadened their influence across Florida and into pre-Castro Cuba.
Infamous in the city's lore is the "Era of Blood," when 25 gangsters were gunned down on the streets as Italian, Cuban and Anglo underworld factions battled for power from the 1920s to the '50s.
And a Godfather-like legend surrounds Tampa-born crime boss Santo Trafficante Jr., who took over the Sicilian Mafia in Florida from his father in 1954 and built a criminal empire that was the envy of mob families across the country.
Trafficante famously never spent a night in an American jail. Trafficante died in 1987 following a heart operation and the Tampa mob's heydey died with him.
Scott Deitche leads a group during one of his recent Mafia Tours that visits infamous gangland sites around Ybor City. (Courtesy Scott M. Deitche)
Deitche's book "Cigar City Mafia" is a who's who of Tampa gangland activity. He followed that up with a book on Trafficante and also operates Mafia Tours in Ybor City.
He says it's the mafia characters that fascinate people to this day.
"It's part of the history of Tampa," he said. "I try to tell it as even-handed as I can. When I do the tour, when I talk to people and show them where this guy got whacked, they're eyes light up. People respond to that.
"I can talk about the minutiae of the political corruption but (people) are more interested in the big crime."
ABOUT THE SHOW
Spectrum Bay News 9 anchor Rick Elmhorst sits down with the people that represent you, the people fighting for change and the people with fascinating stories to ask the hard questions.
Catch up on our latest To The Point Already podcast episodes.