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Fabian "Febby" Petrulio, later known as Fred Peters, portrayed by Tony Ray Rossi, is a supporting character in The Sopranos. He was a former made member of the DiMeo crime family but turned FBI informant and went into the witness protection program.

Biography[]

Petrulio (later known as Fred Peters) was a former soldier in the DiMeo crime family; He was possibly in the Aprile crew as Tony said former DiMeo acting boss Jackie Aprile knew him really well, and they served time together in the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. He entered the Witness Protection Program after he informed on a lot of fellow mobsters from the DiMeo family to the FBI which led to convictions, allegedly including that of Jackie Aprile, and a good friend of theirs named Jimmy, whom died in prison. He was later expelled from the program for unspecified reasons, although it is strongly suggested he was kicked out for dealing illegal drugs, as he is shown briefly engaging in that activity.

He then became a bonded and certified travel agent in Waterville, Maine, living close to Colby College where he could make money from honorarium giving speeches to criminal justice university classes about his experience, or, as Tony later said, "telling everybody what a big bad Mafioso he was".

Through happenstance at a gas station when both men are refueling their vehicles, Tony realizes it is Febby. However, he clearly did not anticipate any Mafia work, for he was accompanying Meadow on a tour of the colleges in the region. The happenstance meeting was a chance for Tony to avenge the DiMeo family through Febby violating the omerta. Through calling DiMeo associate Christopher Moltisanti back in New Jersey, Tony realizes that the car he saw belongs to a "Frederick Peters", which Tony is sure is an alias. Tony begins an intelligence gathering mission, first looking in the town square at a "Peter's Hardware". However that proves a dead end when Tony sees a Yellow Pages ad for the hardware store stating it has been in business since 1957, long before Febby even began his Mafia career. The same page in the Yellow Pages also shows a "Peters' Travel", which advertises vacations to Italy. 

Febby2

Fabian "Febby" Petrulio is strangled to death by Tony

Tony goes to the travel agency, which is closed and peeps in the window. When he sees a homemade bust of Ronald Reagan with overlarge lips, that is the telltale sign he has found the man he was looking for. However, Tony failed to realize his stalking has not gone unnoticed. After a failed attempt to kill Febby at his own house which is thwarted by the presence of his wife and daughter, Tony drives off, alerting Febby that there is an assailant. Febby himself stalks Tony outside the motel where he is staying, but Febby's murder attempt is thwarted by two elderly motel guests nearby (to avoid witnesses). Tony considers having DiMeo soldiers Paulie Gualtieri or Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero come up to Maine to do the hit, but figures he ought to do it himself. He lies in wait near the travel agency, where inside Febby tries to hire some of his drug customers to do the hit for free drugs, which is declined. After they leave, Febby checks outside for a bit, to which he is assaulted by Tony who strangles him to death with a piece of wiring, leaving his body in front of his business, to signify that the Mafia had found him, and it was not just a random killing.

Appearances[]

Episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6

Trivia[]

  • In the Sopranos Scriptbook by David Chase, the scene where Tony kills Febby plays out differently. In the printed version Tony orders him to drop the gun once he has the wire around his neck (in the episode he simply drops it) and their conversation is longer, with Petrulio pleading that he has kids to which Tony replies "other guys got kids and they took the time". It is also left unclear until the last second as to whether Tony will kill him or not, as his pleadings result in Tony relaxing his grip on the wire. Febby then tries to pull away which results in Tony losing his temper and killing him. Comparing this version to the final one, it is possible to see the edits made to achieve the final version.
  • Febby was an amateur wood sculptor, a skill he learned in a prison wood-shop, but had a problem carving lifelike lips. Christopher says he thought Febby's bust of Frank Sinatra was actually that of Shaquille O'Neal, and Tony realizes he's found Febby when he sees a bust of Ronald Reagan in his office with very large lips. At the time of his murder, Febby had a daughter who was around the age of Meadow Soprano, and a younger daughter. At the time of his death he was remarried, and had served as a volunteer fireman, and dealt some drugs locally. He had the chance to shoot Tony the previous day while accompanying his daughter to an orientation day at Colby College but cancels the plan because of the presence of two elderly bystanders outside their motel room. While Tony is garroting him, he lies and tries to use Meadow's presence as an excuse for not shooting him, but Tony doesn't care and kills him anyway.
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