Praneet Thakar
Paul J. DeCologero, a Massachusetts gangster, is set to be sentenced for his involvement in the murder of notorious Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger. DeCologero has reached a plea deal with prosecutors to change his plea from not guilty. The sentencing is scheduled to take place in U.S. District Court in northern West Virginia, where DeCologero will appear on Thursday.
The fatal attack on Bulger occurred in October 2018 at the United States Penitentiary, Hazelton. DeCologero, along with inmate Fotios “Freddy” Geas, used a lock attached to a belt to bludgeon Bulger in the head shortly after he arrived at the prison from Florida. An inmate testified that DeCologero had labeled Bulger a “snitch” and they had planned to kill him upon his arrival in their unit.
Both DeCologero and Geas were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, offenses that carry a potential life sentence. The Justice Department decided last year not to pursue the death penalty for either defendant. It is not yet clear how DeCologero will plead during the upcoming hearing, but his sentencing is set for the same day.
Geas is scheduled for a similar hearing on September 6. Additionally, another inmate, Sean McKinnon, who acted as a lookout during the attack, pleaded guilty in June to making false statements to FBI agents. McKinnon received no additional prison time and was sent back to Florida to complete his supervised release.
James Bulger, who led a major Irish mob in Boston during the 1970s and 1980s, became one of the most wanted fugitives after fleeing the city in 1994. After more than 16 years on the run, Bulger was captured in 2011 at the age of 81. He was convicted in 2013 for multiple murders and various other criminal activities.
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