Born in San Giuseppe Vesuviano, Province of Naples, Miranda immigrated with his family to the United States in 1905 and settled in New York. In later years, Miranda's official residence was in Forest Hills, Queens on Long Island. Becoming involved in crime as a teenager, his first arrest was for petty theft and assault in 1915. During Prohibition, Miranda became an associate of Gaetano Lucchese and was affiliated with the Reina crime family of the Bronx. In 1931, following the end of the Castellammarese War, he became close to Luciano crime family underboss, Vito Genovese and became a made man, or full member, of that crime family.