Felon Teamsters behind the scenes of Boston films

Criminals on the set

By Dave Wedge | Tuesday, December 9, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com

Photo by Herald file

CRIME DRAMA: A Herald probe shows nearly a dozen felon Teamsters worked on the set of ’The Surrogates,’ starring Bruce Willis, above.

Teamsters Local 25 has sought to shed its shady film industry past, but the union still allows career felons - including a killer, bank robbers and repeat drunken drivers - to rake in up to $3,000 a week on taxpayer-subsidized movie sets without going through basic criminal background checks.

A Herald probe matched criminal records to the names of nearly a dozen Teamsters who drove stars and crew on the set-in-Boston Bruce Willis flick “The Surrogates” this summer, among them an armored car thief, a murderer-turned-accused rapist and various thugs, including a Hells Angel identified by law enforcement sources.

The cop drama, like other movies shot in the Bay State since 2007, received generous film industry tax breaks championed by Gov. Deval Patrick, House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and Senate President Therese Murray.

Photo by Herald file

CRIME DRAMA: Gov. Deval Patrick has lured high-profile stars such as Mel Gibson, above, to Boston with tax breaks, but a Herald probe shows nearly a dozen felon Teamsters worked on the set of ‘The Surrogates.’

Local 25 president Sean O’Brien acknowledged several felons are active Teamsters working in the Hub film industry, but said there have been “no incidents” or complaints since he took over the troubled union in August 2006.

“I can’t change the sins of the past,” O’Brien said. “All I can control is what goes on on these movie sets.”

But Sen. Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield) called $100 million in film industry tax breaks “giveaways” and said news that felons are still landing on movie sets is “disheartening.”

“That is serious cause for concern,” Tisei said. “I was under the understanding that Massachusetts was making a fresh start.”

O’Brien said the union does not do criminal background checks on members because removing a felon could be construed as an unfair labor practice. “We don’t discriminate against anyone,” he said.

Among the felons who worked on “The Surrogates” according to criminal records and a Teamster source:

• Charles Doucette, 49, of Beverly: A killer and armed home invader paroled in 2006, he was fired from “The Surrogates” after crashing a truck, and is now in prison awaiting trial on rape charges.

• Jon M. Campagna, 50, of Winthrop: A Teamster driver, he’s got seven drunken driving convictions on his 30-year record, most recently in 2001.

• Gilbert J. “Gigi” Eatherton, 61, of Charlestown: A Teamster “captain,” or job site manager, he served 10 years in federal prison for a 1975 Boston bank heist and has two DUIs, the latest in 1995.

• Joseph Abruzzese, 57, of Lynn: A 33-year Teamster, he served six years in the 1980s for assault.

• Diulio “Lilo” Fabbo, 38, of Medford: He served a year for a 1995 gun rap, and was convicted of assault and battery in 1991.

• Keith A. Leahy, 38, of Charlestown: Shot in a wild shootout with armored car guards in Harvard Square in 1996, he was released in 2003 after serving seven years.

Another Teamster working on local movie sets is convicted cocaine trafficker Michael Indelicato, who was released from federal prison in 2006 after serving 15 years.

Campagna, who isn’t currently working with the film crew, said, “Believe me, I made mistakes and I regret them. I haven’t had a drink in nine years. I turned my life around.”

Fabbo, who also is not actively working on films, acknowledged his criminal past, but said, “Everybody deserves a second chance.” Abruzzese and Leahy declined to comment; Eatherton and Indelicato did not return messages.

O’Brien confirmed he was generally aware of the criminal pasts of Eatherton, Leahy and Indelicato, among others, and said felons have landed on recent films because of high demand for drivers.

“A lot of these members have paid their debts to society,” O’Brien said. “They’re trying to straighten out their lives.”

Massachusetts Film Office executive director Nick Paleologos praised O’Brien’s stewardship. “I have not had a single Teamsters-related complaint from any producer or studio,” he said. “I can’t tell you what he’s doing over there, but whatever he’s doing, it’s working.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1137730