Three men have been indicted in connection with the death of James “Whitey” Bulger in 2018.
The killing raised questions about why the known “snitch” was placed in the general population instead of more protective housing.
Bulger was beaten to death at USP Hazelton in October 2018 hours after he was transferred from a prison in Florida, where he had been serving a life sentence for 11 murders and other crimes.
Fotios Geas and Paul DeCologero were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aiding and abetting first-degree murder, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
DeCologero was part of an organized crime gang led by his uncle on Massachusetts’ North Shore called the “DeCologero Crew.”
He was convicted of buying heroin that was used to try to kill a teenage girl his uncle wanted dead because he feared she “would betray the crew to police.” The heroin didn’t kill her, so another man broke her neck, dismembered her and buried her remains in the woods, court records say.
Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer, but was not an official “made” member because he’s Greek, not Italian. Geas and his brother were sentenced to life in prison in 2011 for several violent crimes.
Geas and his brother were sentenced to life in prison in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Bruno’s killing because he was upset he had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.
Geas faces a separate charge for murder by a federal inmate serving a life sentence.
The FBI said McKinnon faces a separate charge of making false statements to a federal agent. He was on federal supervised release at the time of the indictment and was arrested Thursday in Florida.
Bulger led a largely Irish mob that ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets in the Boston area. He eluded capture for 16 years before being arrested in his California apartment.
For more on this story, please consider these sources:
- Three Men Charged in Prison Killing of Whitey Bulger The New York Times
- Whitey Bulger murder: 3 charged with killing gangster in prison in 2018 NBC News
- 3 charged in Whitey Bulger beating death WPRI
- 3 indicted in prison death of James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, FBI says WCVB Boston
- DOJ indicts three in relation to prison murder of mobster Whitey Bulger Fox News