Thomas Pitera | |
|---|---|
 Pitera's June 4, 1990 DEA mugshot | |
| Born | December 2, 1954 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Other names |
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| Occupation | Mobster |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Allegiance | Bonanno crime family |
| Conviction(s) | Drug trafficking, murder (1992) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (1992) |
| Imprisoned at | United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy |
Thomas Pitera (/pɪˈtɛərə/; born December 2, 1954) is an American mobster in the Bonanno crime family of New York. Pitera, a soldier and later on a captain of his own crew, was suspected by law enforcement of as many as 60 murders.[citation needed] Pitera was well known for his use of karate and other martial arts when fighting, a skill he had learned at a young age and which earned him nicknames like "Tommy Karate", and "The Karate Guy". Pitera is serving a life sentence at USP Big Sandy in Inez, Kentucky.