James Bulger : “3 Men in Whitey Bulger Prison Killing Strike Plea Deals”

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and JOHN RABY Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Three individuals indicted for their involvement in the 2018 prison slaying of notorious Boston criminal figure James “Whitey” Bulger have recently reached plea agreements with prosecutors, as indicated in court documents submitted on Monday.

The plea bargains for Fotios “Freddy” Geas, Paul J. DeCologero, and Sean McKinnon have come to light almost six years after the 89-year-old gangster was fatally assaulted in his cell at a problematic penitentiary in West Virginia.

Geas, a former Mafia contract killer, along with DeCologero, a member of a criminal organization in Massachusetts, were charged with repeatedly striking Bulger in the head, while McKinnon acted as a lookout during the assault.

Freddy Geas

DeCologero reportedly informed a fellow inmate that Bulger was an informant, leading to their plan to eliminate him once he entered their unit. The inmate also disclosed that he and Geas utilized a belt with a lock attached to it to fatally bludgeon Bulger, according to prosecutors.

Although Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulger’s demise, they remained unindicted for several years as the investigation unfolded.

The U.S. prosecutors in West Virginia have requested the court to schedule hearings for the accused to change their initial pleas of not guilty and proceed with sentencing. However, specific details regarding the plea agreements have not been officially documented in court filings.

Belinda Haynie, legal counsel for Geas, opted not to comment on the matter when approached on Monday. Attorneys representing the other two defendants have yet to respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

James ‘Whitey’ Bulger

The Department of Justice announced last year that it would not pursue capital punishment for Geas and DeCologero, who faced murder charges. The trio faced charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, carrying a potential life sentence. Additionally, McKinnon was accused of providing false statements to a federal agent.

Bulger, known for overseeing the predominantly Irish mob in Boston during the 1970s and ’80s, served as an FBI informant who betrayed his gang’s primary rival. Following a tip-off from his FBI handler about an impending indictment, Bulger became one of the most sought-after fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994. He was apprehended at the age of 81 after more than 16 years on the lam.

In 2013, Bulger was convicted of a series of 11 slayings and numerous other criminal activities connected to organized crime, many of which were carried out while he was purportedly collaborating with the FBI.

Bulger’s Fatal Transfer

Bulger met his demise shortly after being transferred from a detention facility in Florida to USP Hazelton in West Virginia, where he was placed among the general inmate population. The decision to transfer Bulger to Hazelton, a facility already under scrutiny for violence and inadequate staffing, and his placement in the general population instead of a more secure environment drew substantial criticism from experts post his demise.

An investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general in 2022 attributed Bulger’s slaying to a series of managerial lapses, widespread incompetence, and flawed policies within the Bureau of Prisons. The report found no evidence of deliberate malice by bureau personnel, but highlighted a chain of bureaucratic errors that left Bulger vulnerable to rival criminals behind bars.

DeCologero and Geas’ Criminal Histories

DeCologero, associated with an organized crime syndicate led by his uncle in Massachusetts, was convicted for purchasing heroin intended for the assassination of a teenage girl targeted by his uncle due to fears of her potential betrayal to law enforcement. When the heroin failed to kill her, another individual proceeded to break her neck, dismember her body, and bury the remains in a wooded area, court records indicate.

Geas, closely linked to the Mafia as an enforcer, never attained official “made” member status due to his Greek heritage. He and his sibling received life sentences in 2011 for their involvement in various violent crimes, including the slaying of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a prominent figure in the Genovese crime family in Springfield, Massachusetts.

McKinnon, previously on federal supervised release following a prison stint for firearms theft from a gun dealer, faced charges in connection to Bulger’s demise.