By Nate Walsh
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) -- U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and the FBI released a joint statement Wednesday announcing reputed local mobster Fotios "Freddy" Geas will be following his alleged coconspirator in the murder of Aldolfo Bruno, Anthony Arillotta, to a federal court room in New York to stand trial.
Arillotta was recently arrested as part of an federal indictment for racketeering conspiracy, racketeering and murder, among other charges, at his Springfield home. Arillotta was the alleged successor of Bruno, who was the reputed head of the Springfield extension of the New York-based Genovese crime family. Bruno was shot and killed as he was leaving a card game Nov. 23, 2003.
According to court documents, it has been theorized Bruno was murdered over control of local illegal gaming activity and loansharking and because rival mobsters feared he would betray them to law enforcement. The gunman in the murder, Frankie Roche, has admitted to his role in the killing as part of an agreement with federal investigators that will likely lead to his testimony in court against higher ranking members in the crime family in exchange for money and the relocation of his family. Court documents state Roche has admitted Geas allegedly paid him $10,000 to kill Bruno.
Geas had been scheduled to be tried in U.S. District Court in Springfield, however Wednesday's announcement would change the venue to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.
"After much consideration, and with all concurrence of our counterparts in New York, the Hampden County District Attorney and the Massachusetts State Police, we have arrived at a mutual agreement that consolidation is the best manner to achieve a just result in this case. The charges against GEAS in Massachusetts will be dismissed in lieu of the broader Indictment that was returned in (New York)," states a joint statement from Ortiz and Warren T. Bamford, FBI special agent in charge of the case.
A New York federal court trial date has yet to be set for Geas.
