Ex-Mafia Hitman Sentenced for Killing Notorious Boston Mobster Bulger

Fotios "Freddy" Geas, a former mafia hitman, has been sentenced to 25 years in custody for his involvement in the 2018 death of notorious Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger. The sentencing took place on September 6, 2024, in Clarksburg, West Virginia, by U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh.

Geas, 57, accepted a plea deal, admitting to voluntary manslaughter instead of facing more severe murder charges that could have resulted in a life sentence. This agreement follows similar arrangements made by two other inmates implicated in Bulger's death.

Bulger, born on September 3, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts, led a complex life spanning over six decades in the criminal underworld. As the leader of the Winter Hill Gang, he simultaneously operated as an FBI informant from 1975 to 1990, a relationship that later sparked significant controversy and led to reforms within the agency.

In 1994, Bulger evaded capture after receiving a tip from his FBI handler about an impending racketeering indictment. He remained at large for 16 years, spending 12 of those on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The bureau offered a $2 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Bulger was finally apprehended in Santa Monica, California, on June 22, 2011.

Two years after his capture, Bulger was convicted on 31 counts, including racketeering and 11 murders. He received two life sentences plus five years for his crimes. His notorious career inspired several books and films, including the acclaimed movie "The Departed."

The fatal incident occurred on October 30, 2018, shortly after Bulger's transfer to the United States Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia. Prosecutors reported that Geas and another inmate, Paul DeCologero, entered Bulger's cell, leading to a verbal altercation. Geas then assaulted Bulger, striking him in the head. The attackers placed Bulger's body in his bunk bed and covered it with bedding, delaying discovery by prison staff for nearly two hours.

"Some men tied to the killing had referred to Bulger as a 'snitch'."

DeCologero received a 51-month sentence last month for his role in the incident. A third inmate, Sean McKinnon, Geas' cellmate, was sentenced to time served in June after admitting to lying to an FBI agent about his knowledge of the events.

The case highlights the complex web of organized crime, law enforcement cooperation, and the consequences of a life in the criminal underworld. Bulger's death at age 89 occurred less than 12 hours after his transfer to the Hazelton facility, marking a violent end to a notorious criminal career that had long captivated the public and law enforcement alike.