Public Eye Archives

Frank Sinatra Jr.

"I have a package for Frank Sinatra Jr.," a voice announced. They got past the door, put a package on the table and gun to young Sinatra's face, threatening him to cooperate an not make a sound. Barry Keenan, the brains behind the caper, talked his way through two police roadblocks as Frank Sinatra Jr. lay, cooperatively, across the backseat of the get-a-way car. After an eight-hour drive back to Los Angeles, they settled in a house in the suburb of Canoga Park and ransom negotiations began. Little did Keenan know that the likes of Attorney general Robert Kennedy, the FBI and Mafia maestro Sam Giancana were already offering help to the senior Frank Sinatra.

Frank Sinatra Jr. was held in the hideout for four days. The price of his release was $240,000, although Sinatra Sr. offered more. Barry Keenan, turned out to be a high school friend of Junior's sister Nancy. He had been the youngest member of the Los Angeles stock exchange at 21, a real estate developer at 22 with a bright lucrative future. A back injury that got him addicted to painkillers skewed his life and made him a foolish kidnapper by the age of 23. Although the crime was a calculated and gutsy offense, it was executed with total incompetence. After the ransom money was collected and Frank Sinatra Jr. was released, barely three days had passed when the FBI picked up Keenan and his cohorts.

Barry Keenan was convicted and sentenced to 75 years plus life in prison. Because he was found legally and mentally insane at the time of the kidnapping, his sentence was reduced to 12 years. He was released after serving only four and a half.