Three men indicted in connection with the beating death of James “Whitey” Bulger, U.S. Attorney Rollins responds

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three men have been indicted in connection with the beating death of James “Whitey” Bulger.

Fotios Geas, also known as “Freddy,” age 55, Paul J. DeCologero, also known as “Pauly,” 48, and Sean McKinnon, 36, were charged on Wednesday with conspiracy to commit first degree murder.

Geas and DeCologero are accused of striking Bulger in the head multiple times and causing his death in October of 2018 while all were incarcerated at United States Penitentiary Hazleton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Geas and DeCologero have been charged with aiding and abetting first degree murder, along with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

Geas faces a separate charge for murder by a federal inmate serving a life sentence.

McKinnon faces a separate charge of making false statements to a federal agent.

Geas is still incarcerated at USP Hazelton. DeCologero is no longer being held at USP Hazelton but remains housed in the federal prison system. McKinnon was on federal supervised release at the time of the indictment and was arrested today in Florida.

Bulger was 89 years old when he died.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon S. Flower and Randolph J. Bernard are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated.

U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins from Massachusetts issued the following statement:

“Today our hearts are with the 19 known murder victims and their loved ones, as well as anyone ever harmed by this man. He was a serial murderer, and each mention of his name is a trigger to the families he devastated, reopening wounds that we can only hope had finally started to heal.”

“With the indictment announced today, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has started the process of holding the men alleged to have violently ended a life accountable. In the truest of ironies, Bulger’s family has experienced the excruciating pain and trauma their relative inflicted on far too many, and the justice system is now coming to their aid.”

“In honor of the memory and lives of the 19 known murder victims we fought tirelessly for here in the District of Massachusetts, we list each of their names below.

Arthur Barrett

John Callahan

Richard Castucci

Edward Connors

Debra Davis

Michael Donahue

Edward Halloran

Deborah Hussey

Thomas King

Francis Leonard

Paul McGonagle

John McIntyre

Michael Milano

Alfred Notorangeli

William O’Brien

James O’Toole

Albert Plummer

James Sousa

Roger Wheeler”