Three federal inmates accused of killing notorious Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger while he was incarcerated have agreed to plead guilty and be sentenced in the case, according to federal court documents filed Monday. The inmates, Fotios Geas, Paul J. DeCologero, and Sean McKinnon, were charged in Bulger’s death in October 2018 at a federal jail in West Virginia. Geas, who is serving a life sentence for murder, has been described as the central suspect in Bulger’s slaying, as he was an enforcer for the New England mafia and a rival of Bulger, who was the leader of Boston’s Irish mob and a secret FBI informant. McKinnon was Geas’ cellmate at the time of Bulger’s death, and both men, along with DeCologero, were placed in solitary confinement after the incident.
Bulger was killed when a lock was placed in a sock and used to beat him in the head until he died, according to law enforcement officials. Bulger controlled the streets of South Boston for over three decades, earning a reputation for being ruthless towards his rivals and a Robin Hood-like figure to residents. He also worked as an informant for the FBI, providing tips that led to the arrests of mobsters who crossed him or competed with him. Bulger disappeared three decades ago after being warned by a corrupt federal agent about an impending indictment. He was on the run for 16 years until his capture in 2011 while living with a girlfriend in a Santa Monica apartment filled with cash and weapons.
The terms of the plea agreement for Geas, DeCologero, and McKinnon have not been disclosed in the court documents. Geas, known for being a high-ranking member of the New England mafia, was serving a life sentence for murder. McKinnon, serving an eight-year term for stealing guns from a Vermont firearms store, was Geas’ cellmate at the time of Bulger’s death. Both were placed in solitary confinement following the incident, along with DeCologero. Bulger’s death was a violent one, with a lock placed in a sock being used to fatally beat him in the head.
Bulger’s reign over South Boston began in the 1970s and lasted for more than three decades. He was notorious for his ruthless tactics towards rivals, while also being seen as a Robin Hood figure to residents. As the leader of Boston’s Irish mob, he had a long-standing rivalry with Geas, who was an enforcer for the New England mafia. Bulger also had a complicated relationship with the FBI, working as an informant for the agency and providing tips that led to the arrest of rival mobsters. His disappearance in the 1990s and capture in 2011 marked the end of a lengthy period on the run for the infamous crime boss.
The inmates involved in Bulger’s death, Geas, DeCologero, and McKinnon, have all agreed to plead guilty and be sentenced in the case. The specific terms of the plea agreement have not been publicly disclosed. Geas, a high-ranking member of the New England mafia serving a life sentence for murder, has been described as the central suspect in Bulger’s slaying. McKinnon, serving time for stealing guns, was Geas’ cellmate at the time of the incident. Both men, along with DeCologero, were placed in solitary confinement following Bulger’s violent death, which involved a lock being placed in a sock and used to beat him in the head until he died.
