A former federal fugitive, Seth Ferranti, is urging Florida’s Brian Laundrie to turn himself in, following the death of his fiancée Gabby Petito. Ferranti is an ex-con who spent two years on the lam and now turned to a writer and producer.
“You just gotta turn yourself in man — you gotta face the music. And if you did do something to that girl, you gotta pay the price. And if you didn’t do anything to that girl, you’ve got to present it to the jury and trust in your innocence,” Ferranti told Fox News Monday.
From 1991 to 1993, Ferranti was listed among the U.S. Marshals’ Top 15 Most Wanted criminals. He was running from a 25-year sentence for nonviolent drug trafficking charges. The government waged War on Drugs at the time. As a former fugitive, Ferranti knows what it takes to dodge police and avoid arrest.
Ferranti told Fox News a fugitive needs enough money in order to stay hidden. “As long as you have money, you can stay hidden,” he said. He said fugitives need money in cash as they can’t use credit cards. In addition, a fugitive requires self-discipline, support from a friend or relative, and most importantly, a fake ID.
Ferranti says he respects Brian’s skill; however, he believed the 23-year-old Florida man might be hiding in plain sight because Brian looks like a pretty average dude to him. He said running from authorities is being in your own little movie because “Everything is so intense.”
Ferranti’s case, in a variety of ways, differs from Brian’s. He was wanted for selling LSD and pot to students. Moreover, there were no Internet, social media, and widespread surveillance at the time Ferranti was on the run. Laundrie, on the other hand, is wanted for alleged debit card fraud and is a person of interest in his girlfriend’s death.
“There probably wasn’t 75% of the scrutiny [back then] than there is now,” Ferranti said. “Everything is digital now. There’s cameras everywhere.”
Ferranti said he was stressed at the beginning of his own time as a fugitive and got more comfortable after that. He even returned t drug trafficking but was less careful about covering his tracks, even though he used aliases and fake IDs.
Ferranti spent over twenty years in prison, gaining a master’s degree while incarcerated. He turned his life around by becoming an established writer upon his release from prison. His latest project is Netflix’s “White Boy Rick,” a true-crime documentary.
Ferranti said he had resumed drug trafficking before authorities finally caught him. He was caught while running shipments of marijuana from Dallas to St. Louis. The jig was up when someone ratted him out.
In an interview with Dr. Phil on Tuesday, Gabby Petito’s parents said they believe Brian Laundrie is still alive and is hiding out there. Read the news: Gabby Petito’s parents put Brian Laundrie on notice with one word.
