Frank P. Geraci Jr.

Frank P. Geraci Jr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 1, 2023
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
In office
March 8, 2015 – July 14, 2021
Preceded byWilliam M. Skretny
Succeeded byElizabeth A. Wolford
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
In office
January 2, 2013 – April 1, 2023
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byDavid G. Larimer
Succeeded byMeredith Vacca
Personal details
Born
Frank Paul Geraci Jr.

(1951-07-14) July 14, 1951 (age 73)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Dayton (BA, JD)

Frank Paul Geraci Jr. (born July 14, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York.

Early life and education

Geraci was born in 1951 in Rochester, New York.[1] He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 from the University of Dayton. He received his Juris Doctor in 1977 from the University of Dayton Law School.[2][3]

Career

From 1978 to 1983, he served as a special assistant district attorney in the Monroe County District Attorney's Office. From 1983 to 1987, he served as an assistant United States attorney in the Western District of New York.[2][3] Among the cases that Geraci handled while at the U.S. Attorney's Office was the prosecution of a group of self-styled mercenaries who engaged in an unsuccessful attempt to help imprisoned Philadelphia organized crime figure Stephen Vento and another man escape from the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.[4]

Geraci was a partner at the law firm of Geraci & Feldman from 1987 to 1992. From 1992 to 1998, he was a judge of the Rochester City Court, presiding over civil cases, criminal misdemeanors and pre-trial felony matters. From 1999 to 2012, he served as a judge on the Monroe County Court in Rochester, New York, where he primarily handled criminal felonies.[2][3]

Federal judicial service

On May 14, 2012, President Barack Obama nominated Geraci to be a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, to the seat vacated by Judge David G. Larimer, who assumed senior status in 2009.[2] His nomination was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 19, 2012.[5] On December 13, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Geraci by a voice vote. He received his commission on January 2, 2013. He served as Chief Judge from 2015 to 2021.[3] On February 22, 2023, he announced his intent to assume senior status on April 1, 2023.[6][3]

Notable cases

In 2021, Geraci denied a petition for compassionate release from imprisoned Rochester organized crime figure Dominic Taddeo, convicted of racketeering and the slaying of three people in mob wars in 1982 and 1983. Geraci determined that Taddeo did not merit compassionate release.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b c d "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the US District Court". whitehouse.gov. 14 May 2012 – via National Archives.
  3. ^ a b c d e Frank P. Geraci Jr. at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  4. ^ Self-Styled Mercenary Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison, Associated Press (November 19, 1986 ).
  5. ^ "Four judicial nominees voted out of Senate committee".
  6. ^ Andreatta, David (February 22, 2023). "Opening on WNY federal bench coming soon". WXXI-TV.
  7. ^ Judge rejects mobster's plea for compassionate release, Associated Press (March 6, 2021).
  8. ^ Gary Craig, Notorious Rochester mob hit man is seeking COVID-related release from prison, Democrat & Chronicle (February 17, 2021).
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
2013–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
2015–2021 		Succeeded by