Fotios "Freddy" Geas (born April 4, 1967) is an American criminal and an associate of the Genovese crime family, based in New York City. He is a former Mafia hitman and gang enforcer operating out of Springfield, Massachusetts and often worked with his brother Ty Geas.
Freddy Geas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fotios Geas April 4, 1967 |
| Other names | Freddy Geas |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated at ADX Florence |
| Criminal charge | 2 counts of murder in aid of racketeering |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment (2011) |
Geas is accused of having orchestrated the 2018 murder of Winter Hill Gang mobster Whitey Bulger in prison, and was charged in relation to the incident in August 2022.[1] His trial was scheduled to begin in December 2024, but in May 2024, he made an undisclosed plea deal with the U.S. attorney's office in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Criminal career
editGeas was born into a Greek family; therefore, he could not be a made member of the Italian Mafia. Geas and his brother Ty were well known enforcers feared within their community. The Geas brothers worked with Anthony Arillotta, another mobster. In 2003, Arillotta was formally inducted into the Genovese crime family Springfield faction. Arillotta had requested that the Geas brothers kill his brother-in-law, Gary Westerman. Acting boss Arthur Nigro organized a hit on aging gangster Adolfo Bruno. Both hits were carried out in 2003.[2]
In 2011, Geas was charged with the murders of Gary Westerman and Adolfo Bruno.[3] He was also indicted as the getaway driver in the failed assassination attempt of Bronx union boss Frank Dadabo, after Dadabo was involved in an argument with Nigro over Tony Bennett concert tickets.[citation needed]
During the 2011 trial, Geas was shocked to see his former associate Arillotta testify against him. Geas was known for his strict code. He despised snitches and men who abused women. Geas refused to cooperate with law enforcement and was sentenced to life in prison.[2]
Murder of Whitey Bulger
editOn October 29, 2018, infamous Boston gangster Whitey Bulger was transferred from the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City to United States Penitentiary, Hazelton, in West Virginia.[4] At 8:20 a.m. on October 30, the 89-year-old Bulger[5] was found unresponsive in the prison. Bulger was in a wheelchair and had been beaten to death by multiple inmates armed with a sock-wrapped padlock and a shiv. His eyes had nearly been gouged out and his tongue almost cut off.[6][7][8] This was the third homicide at the prison in a 40-day span.[9]
Correctional officers had warned Congress just days before the most recent Hazelton death that facilities were being dangerously understaffed.[7] Geas was the primary suspect in orchestrating the killing of Bulger.[6][10][11] In August 2022, he, along with Paul DeCologero and Sean McKinnon, were indicted on first degree murder charges.[12] In September 2023, Geas was transferred to ADX Florence.[13] The trial was scheduled for December 2024.[14] In May 2024, the trio made an undisclosed plea deal with the U.S. attorney's office in the Northern District of West Virginia.[15] In June 2024, prosecutors dropped the charge that McKinnon was involved in the slaying, and he pled guilty to lying to the FBI about whether he knew the other two men; he was sentenced to 22 months time served and was released.[16] In August 2024, prosecutors dropped two charges against DeCologero, first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, in exchange for a guilty plea of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The judge sentenced DeCologero to 51 months. Geas had his plea agreement unsealed at his sentencing on September 6, 2024,[17] where it was revealed that he would be sentenced to an additional 25 years in prison.[18]
References
edit- ^ Barry, Stephanie (2018-11-03). "Murder plots, truck heists and brawls: The backstory of Freddy Geas, suspect in 'Whitey' Bulger death". masslive.com. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
- ^ a b Cullen, Kevin (2018-10-30). "Freddy Geas, eyed in 'Whitey' Bulger's killing, 'hated rats'". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
- ^ United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (September 12, 2011). "Former Genovese Family Acting Boss and Two Associates Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison for Multiple Murders, Racketeering, and Extortion". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Williams, Pete; Winter, Tom; Schapiro, Rich (30 October 2018). "Notorious mob boss Whitey Bulger found dead in prison". NBC News. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "Mob Boss James 'Whitey' Bulger Beaten to Death With 'Lock-in-a-Sock'". The Daily Beast. November 1, 2018.
- ^ a b Lia Eustachewich (October 31, 2018). "Meet the mob hitman suspected of killing Whitey Bulger". New York Post. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ a b Prison drops visits after Whitey Bulger slaying Archived 2018-11-05 at the Wayback Machine, Boston Herald, Laurel J. Sweet, November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ^ "Whitey Bulger's eyes reportedly almost gouged out in deadly attack". CBS News. October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ Newport, Natalie (October 30, 2018). "Notorious crime boss Whitey Bulger has been reportedly killed in prison". WTAE. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ Sweet, Laurel J. (November 1, 2018). "Springfield hitman eyed in Whitey Bulger's slaying". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ^ "This mafia hitman, Fotios 'Freddy' Geas, hated 'rats'. He is suspected in slaying of US mobster Whitey Bulger". South China Morning Post. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ^ Murphy, Shelley (August 18, 2022). "3 men indicted in 2018 prison killing of James 'Whitey' Bulger". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ "Inmate Locator". www.bop.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against men charged in Whitey Bulger's prison killing". AP News. July 12, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ Murphy, Shelley (13 May 2024). "Three inmates accused of killing James 'Whitey' Bulger have struck a plea deal". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Shelley (2024-06-17). "Inmate charged in James 'Whitey' Bulger death walks free". The Boston Globe.
- ^ Murphy, Shelley (2024-08-01). "Mass. man accused of fatally beating Whitey Bulger sentenced to four years in prison for assault". Boston Globe.
- ^ Raby, John (September 6, 2024). "A hitman serving life in prison gets more time for killing 'Whitey' Bulger". Boston.com. Boston Globe Media Partners. Retrieved September 6, 2024.