Born March 6, 1893 in Ribera comune of Agrigento, Sicily.
On November 9, 1912 arrived at Ellis Island aboard S.S. Canada. Listed occupation as farmer - laborer and gave destination as residence of cousin in Chicago.
There is no further information as yet on Cocchiaro's connections to Chicago, or how long he stayed there. He is one of several DeCavalcante members from Ribera who turn up in the area pre-1930.
On May 13, 1922 Cocchiaro and Nellie Spinella/Spinelli (22y) were married in Elizabeth, New Jersey by Mayor Victor Mravlag. The bride was born 1905 in Russellville, Alabama. Witnesses were James Spinelli and Mary Gudemme (25y). The couple resided at 625 South St in Elizabeth with a brief period possibly spent in Rahway, New Jersey around Fall 1926, when a daughter was born.
Believed to have been an inducted member by 1920s.
In 1937 he joined Local 394 Hod Carriers Union headquartered in Elizabeth.
In March 1937 indicted by USAO on charges operation of an unlicensed still. Around May 1937 convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment and $100 fine.
Served sentence at Essex County Penitentiary in Caldwell, New Jersey from June 29, 1937 to November 27, 1937.
In December 1940 fingerprinted as result of recently passed Alien Registration Act. Gave address at 607 Third Ave in Elizabeth.
On August 22, 1941 filed Petition for Naturalization No. 21 220 in Union County Common Pleas Court. Witnesses were Elizabeth residents Frank Maranca (48y), from San Giovanni Gemini in Agrigento, and fellow Riberesi Vito Oliveri (DOB 9.18.1893 - DOD 7.1954). Naturalized in 1944.
A later report indicates he remarried around April 1942.
By 1958 listed residence at 422 Cherry St in Elizabeth.
In 1959 moved to 201 Third Ave in East Northport, Long Island. His son John and son-in-law Nick Samaritano were involved in the local garbage disposal business in association with VJS Sanitation Service. (Company officers were Joseph Colletti, Gennaro Sortino and Vito Ales. Colletti, also residing in East Northport at the time, was son to DeCav Capodecina Giacomo Colletti and became a made member himself in 1976.)
By 1960 Cocchiaro had moved back to Elizabeth, first at 39 Elm St, then to 344 Union Ave and finally at 471 Irvington Ave where he would remain. He continued employment with Local 394 as part of what one informant later called the local's 'ruling faction'. He was also a mainstay at the Ribera Club at corner of John St and Third Ave, a longtime Family meeting spot.
On February 23, 1965 DeCav Capodecina Joseph Sferra visited Family Boss Sam DeCavalcante at the latter's place of business in Kenilworth, New Jersey. The meeting was surreptitiously recorded by an FBI bug in place since the previous August. It was during this conversation that Cocchiaro's status as a made member first became known. A report summarized: "[DeCavalcante] informed Joseph Sferra [of] 'our meeting' for Joe Cocchiaro. DeCavalcante stated that 'the guy', apparently referring to [Cocchiaro], got out of hand to the point where DeCavalcante had to lace into him for failure to show the proper respect, apparently since DeCavalcante is younger than many of the people who attended this meeting. DeCavalcante pointed out that he had bawled out these people and pointed out to them that after all DeCavalcante's father had 'made' some of these people."
Despite the long-running FBI bug and information received from various informants, little information is available to clarify DeCavalcante crew breakdowns from this era. Joseph Cocchiaro may have been under Sferra, necessitating the above conversation, or with Giacomo Colletti's regime given the business and probable blood/marriage ties. Cocchiaro and Colletti both married Spinelli's and were frequently observed in each other's company both at the daily Ribera Club visits and at various Family events.
In early 1967 the FBI reported on a potential family link to the more well known DeCavalcante Family Cocchiaros, stating Joseph was a possible uncle to Capodecina Frank Cocchiaro. The report noted that the two Cocchiaros were nevertheless not known to associate.
By 1971 retired from Local 394. In August applied for and received US Passport for purpose of travel to Ribera. Returned around March 1972.
No further activity on Cocchiaro's part is noted. Likely present at the December 5, 1976 Family meetings held to announce John Riggi as the official Acting Boss. He died March 1979 and was buried in Rosedale and Rosehill Cemetery located in Linden, New Jersey.
