Fotios “Freddy” Geas, a former Mafia hitman, receives 25 additional years in prison for the 2018 killing of Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger. Learn more about the case and sentencing.
Bollywood Fever: Fotios “Freddy” Geas, a former Mafia hitman already serving life in prison, was sentenced to an additional 25 years on Friday for the 2018 killing of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger. The 89-year-old Bulger was fatally beaten just hours after his arrival at the U.S. Penitentiary, Hazelton in West Virginia.
Prosecutors claimed that Geas used a padlock attached to a belt to repeatedly strike Bulger in the head. However, defense attorneys disputed this, stating that Geas hit Bulger with his fist. The court sentenced Geas to 15 years for voluntary manslaughter and 10 years for assault resulting in serious bodily injury, to be served consecutively with his current life sentence.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh accepted the sentencing recommendation from prosecutors, which exceeded federal guidelines. Kleeh dismissed more serious charges, including murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which would have carried a life sentence.
Bulger, the infamous leader of a predominantly Irish gang in Boston during the 1970s and 1980s, also acted as an FBI informant, providing information on his gang’s rivals. Despite denying his informant status, Bulger became one of America’s most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994. He remained on the run for 16 years before his capture and subsequent conviction in 2013 for 11 murders and numerous other crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower commented on Geas’ sentence, saying, “Mr. Geas is not really going to have an opportunity to step outside. That is where he’s going to spend the rest of his days.”
In addition to Geas, two other inmates were implicated in Bulger’s murder. Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero, who acted as a lookout during the attack, was sentenced to over four years in prison in August. Another inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release.
According to court records, prisoners at Hazelton knew ahead of time that Bulger was being transferred to their facility. Geas and DeCologero spent about seven minutes in Bulger’s cell during the fatal attack. DeCologero allegedly told other inmates that Bulger was a “snitch,” and they planned to kill him upon his arrival.
Geas, a close associate of the Mafia, had a long criminal history but was never officially “made” into the Mafia due to his Greek heritage. He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in the 2003 killing of Genovese crime family boss Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The circumstances of Bulger’s transfer to Hazelton and placement in the general population were heavily criticized after his death. A Justice Department inspector general investigation in 2022 revealed multiple management failures and incompetence within the Bureau of Prisons, though no malicious intent was found among the employees. The incident highlighted systemic issues within the federal prison system, leading to increased scrutiny and legislative changes in oversight.
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