– Men charged in Whitey Bulger’s prison killing
– Plea deals for 3 men in Whitey Bulger case.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Three men have recently reached plea deals with prosecutors in relation to the 2018 prison killing of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, as revealed in court documents filed on Monday. Fotios “Freddy” Geas, Paul J. DeCologero, and Sean McKinnon are the individuals involved in these plea agreements, which have come to light almost six years after the 89-year-old gangster was brutally beaten to death in his cell at a troubled West Virginia prison.
Geas, a former Mafia hitman, along with DeCologero, a Massachusetts gangster, were accused of repeatedly striking Bulger in the head, while McKinnon acted as a lookout during the fatal incident. DeCologero allegedly referred to Bulger as a “snitch” and disclosed plans to kill him as soon as he entered their unit. It was reported that DeCologero and Geas used a belt with a lock attached to it to bludgeon Bulger to death. These details emerged from statements made by DeCologero to an inmate witness.
Although Geas and DeCologero were initially identified as suspects shortly after Bulger’s demise, they remained uncharged for several years as the investigation unfolded. Prosecutors in West Virginia federal court have requested hearings to be scheduled for the men to change their not-guilty pleas and proceed with sentencing. However, specific details regarding the plea agreements have not been disclosed in court filings.
Legal Representation and Sentencing
Belinda Haynie, representing Geas, refrained from providing comments on the matter when approached on Monday. Attorneys for the other two defendants have yet to respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The Justice Department announced last year that it would not pursue the death penalty for Geas and DeCologero, who were charged with murder. All three men face charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, carrying a potential life sentence. McKinnon has also been charged with making false statements to a federal agent.
Background on James “Whitey” Bulger
Whitey Bulger, who led the predominantly Irish mob in Boston during the 1970s and ’80s, was known to have collaborated with the FBI as an informant against his gang’s main rival. After fleeing Boston in 1994 following a tip-off from his FBI handler about an impending indictment, Bulger became one of the most-wanted fugitives in the country. He was finally apprehended at the age of 81, having spent over 16 years on the run.
In 2013, Bulger was convicted of multiple charges, including 11 murders and numerous other criminal activities, many of which were carried out while he was reportedly acting as an FBI informant. He met his demise just hours after being transferred from a Florida prison to USP Hazelton in West Virginia and placed among the general prison population. The circumstances surrounding his transfer and housing arrangements at Hazelton, along with the subsequent fatal attack, have been subject to widespread criticism.
Inspector General Investigation Findings
An investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general in 2022 attributed Bulger’s killing to a series of management failures, incompetence, and flawed policies within the Bureau of Prisons. While no evidence of “malicious intent” was found among bureau employees, the report highlighted a chain of administrative errors that left Bulger vulnerable to rival gang members within the prison.
Background of the Defendants
DeCologero, associated with an organized crime gang led by his uncle in Massachusetts, was previously convicted of purchasing heroin intended for the assassination of a teenage girl whom his uncle believed would betray the group to law enforcement. When the heroin failed to kill her, another individual took her life by breaking her neck, dismembering her, and concealing her remains in the woods.
Geas, a close affiliate of the Mafia who operated as an enforcer, did not hold an official membership status due to his Greek heritage. Along with his brother, Geas was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 for his involvement in various violent crimes, including the killing of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a boss in the Genovese crime family in Springfield, Massachusetts. The murder of Bruno was reportedly ordered by another mobster in retaliation for his cooperation with the FBI.
McKinnon, who had previously served time in prison for stealing firearms from a dealer, was under federal supervised release when he faced charges related to Bulger’s killing.
Reporting by Raby from Charleston, West Virginia.
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Men charged Whitey Bulger prison killing plea deals prosecutors.
