CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An inmate was sentenced to greater than 4 years Thursday for his position within the 2018 deadly bludgeoning of infamous Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in a troubled West Virginia federal jail.
Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court docket after pleading responsible to an assault cost. He may have confronted as much as 10 years in jail. DeCologero was already serving a 25-year sentence handed down in 2006 after he was convicted of shopping for heroin used to attempt to kill a teenage lady.
Prosecutors initially had mentioned DeCologero and inmate Fotios “Freddy” Geas used a lock hooked up to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger within the head hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton from one other lockup in Florida.
However on Thursday, each prosecutors and the protection mentioned DeCologero solely served as a lookout and had not bodily assaulted Bulger.
US District Choose Thomas Kleeh mentioned the sentence was “truthful, simply and acceptable” and “strikes the steadiness the court docket is attempting to hunt.”
DeCologero, 50, declined to talk when given the chance to deal with the court docket. Protection lawyer Patrick Nash started by conveying an apology from DeCologero to Bulger’s household in addition to the inmate’s personal family.
Nash described DeCologero because the sufferer of an “abusive and neglectful” upbringing.
“Paul has had an extremely troublesome life,” Nash mentioned. “Because of that, Paul is an individual who is definitely led. Anybody who exhibits him consideration, he’s simply led.”
An uncle ultimately took in DeCologero and made him a part of a felony group, Nash mentioned.
In Bulger’s killing, “Paul was concerned,” Nash mentioned. “He’s responsible. However his position was restricted.”
Assistant US Lawyer Brandon Flower declined to remark after the sentencing.
Based on court docket data, inmates came upon forward of time that Bulger could be arriving at Hazelton. An inmate beforehand informed a grand jury that DeCologero mentioned to him that Bulger was a snitch they usually deliberate to kill him as quickly as he got here into their unit.
Prosecutors have mentioned DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulger’s cell. Geas hit Bulger, whereas DeCologero served as a lookout and helped cowl Bulger’s physique, Flower mentioned Thursday. DeCologero’s DNA was discovered on two blankets, the prosecutor mentioned.
Geas has been charged with homicide and conspiracy to commit first-degree homicide, which carries as much as a life sentence. His listening to is scheduled for Sept. 6. Final 12 months, the Justice Division mentioned it wouldn’t search the demise penalty.
One other inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded responsible in June to mendacity to FBI particular brokers. McKinnon obtained credit score for spending 22 months in custody after his 2022 indictment, was given no further jail time and was returned to Florida to complete his supervised launch. McKinnon had served out a sentence for stealing weapons from a firearms seller.
Plea offers for the three males have been disclosed Could 13. Geas and DeCologero have been recognized as suspects shortly after Bulger’s demise, however they remained uncharged for years because the investigation dragged on.
Previous to Bulger’s demise, workers at Hazelton had been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing. After Bulger was killed, jail officers have been criticized for putting him within the normal inhabitants as a substitute of extra protecting housing.
A Justice Division inspector normal investigation present in 2022 that the killing was the results of a number of layers of administration failures, widespread incompetence and flawed insurance policies on the federal Bureau of Prisons.
The inspector normal discovered no proof of “malicious intent” by any bureau workers however mentioned a collection of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger on the mercy of rival gangsters.
In July, the US Senate handed laws to overtake oversight and convey better transparency to the Bureau of Prisons following reporting from The Related Press that uncovered systemic corruption within the federal jail system and elevated congressional scrutiny.
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston within the Seventies and ’80s, was additionally an FBI informant who supplied the company with data on the principle rival to his gang.
He turned one of many nation’s most wished fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994, due to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after greater than 16 years on the run.
Bulger was convicted in 2013 in a string of 11 killings and dozens of different gangland crimes, lots of them dedicated whereas he was mentioned to be an FBI informant.
DeCologero, who was in a gang led by his uncle, was convicted of shopping for heroin that was used to attempt to kill a teenage lady as a result of his uncle feared she would betray the crew to police. After the heroin didn’t kill her, one other man broke her neck, dismembered her physique and buried her stays within the woods, court docket data say.
Geas was an in depth affiliate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer however was not an official “made” member as a result of he’s Greek, not Italian.
He and his brother have been sentenced to life in 2011 for his or her roles in a number of violent crimes, together with the 2003 killing of Adolfo “Large Al” Bruno, a Genovese crime household boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. One other mobster ordered Bruno’s killing as a result of he was upset that he had talked to the FBI, prosecutors mentioned.
