Inmate Sentenced for Role in Whitey Bulger's Death

Paul J DeCologero, an inmate involved in the fatal beating of notorious Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger at a West Virginia prison, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison. DeCologero, already serving a 25-year sentence for a previous crime, pleaded guilty to an assault charge and could have faced up to 10 years for his role in Bulger's death.

Prosecutors initially alleged that DeCologero, along with fellow inmate Fotios "Freddy" Geas, used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly beat Bulger on the head. However, during the sentencing hearing, both sides agreed that DeCologero had only acted as a lookout and did not physically assault Bulger himself.

According to court records, inmates at the prison knew Bulger would be arriving and planned to kill him. DeCologero and Geas spent approximately seven minutes in Bulger's cell, with DeCologero serving as a lookout and helping cover Bulger's body after Geas beat him to death. DeCologero's DNA was found on two blankets at the scene.

Geas has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries a potential life sentence. His hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2023. Last year, the Justice Department announced it would not seek the death penalty in this case.

DeCologero's attorney described him as the victim of an abusive upbringing, which led him to a life of crime. He acknowledged DeCologero's involvement in Bulger's killing but emphasized his limited role.

Prior to Bulger's death, concerns about violence and understaffing had been raised at the prison. After the incident, prison officials were criticized for placing Bulger in the general population instead of protective housing.

A Justice Department investigation concluded that Bulger's death resulted from management failures, widespread incompetence, and flawed policies within the federal Bureau of Prisons. The investigation found no evidence of malicious intent but concluded that a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger vulnerable to rival gangsters.

Bulger, who led the largely Irish mob in Boston during the 1970s and 80s, was also an FBI informant who provided information on his gang's main rival. He became a fugitive in 1994 after being tipped off by his FBI handler about an impending indictment. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run.

In 2013, Bulger was convicted of 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes, many committed while he was an FBI informant. DeCologero, a member of a gang led by his uncle, was convicted of buying heroin used to try to kill a teenage girl who was suspected of betraying the gang. After the heroin failed to kill her, another man broke her neck, dismembered her body, and buried her remains in the woods.