He initially works for Rosenberg, causing riots and intimidating jurors, before working for Juan Cortez, an intermediary for the drug deal, who begins to look into the ambush for Tommy. Tommy, looking to get Sonny's money back, begins to work for various criminals around the city to gain money and revenge. Tommy informs Sonny of the ambush and is reminded that Sonny is 'not a guy to be screwed with'. Tommy, Rosenberg, and Lance Vance (of the Vance Crime Family) escape. The drug deal with the Vance Crime Family is ambushed by Ricardo Diaz' men, something Tommy only later discovers. Tommy flies to Vice City along with Harry and Lee, meeting Ken Rosenberg at Escobar International Airport. Sonny, wanting to become involved in the narcotics trade, decides to send Tommy with some money and to allow him to establish a drug cartel for the Forelli's. Forelli decides to send Tommy to Vice City, realizing that he is too well known in Liberty City.
In 1986, he was released from prison after Sonny Forelli "pulled" some strings. Tommy remained in prison for fifteen years, not informing the LCPD of any Forelli Family secrets. His connections with the Forelli Family ensured he was spared the death penalty and a life sentence. This was an attempted ambush, planned by Sonny Forelli, although Tommy survived. He continued to work with the Forelli Family until 1971, when he was convicted of eleven counts of manslaughter in Harwood, later gaining the name "The Harwood Butcher". Vercetti had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, but "lived a different life", at some point joining the Forelli Family in the 1960s. He was born in Liberty City and, at a young age, began helping his father at a printing shop cleaning rollers. Tommy Vercetti was born around 1951 and is thirty-five years old during the events of the game.