Inmate Sentenced In Prison Killing Of Infamous Boston Gangster James "Whitey" Bulger

CBS Boston

August 2, 2024

An inmate has been sentenced for his role in the deadly bludgeoning of infamous Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger in a West Virginia federal prison in 2018. The inmate, Paul J. DeCologero, was sentenced to more than four years imprisonment after pleading guilty to an assault charge. DeCologero faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors initially had said DeCologero and inmate Fotios "Freddy" Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at troubled USP Hazelton from another lockup in Florida, while another man, Sean McKinnon, served as a lookout. But on Thursday, they said that DeCologero had only served as a lookout and had not physically assaulted Bulger.

Geas faces a hearing on Sept. 6. He has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries up to a life sentence. Last year the Justice Department said it would not seek the death sentence for the pair.

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