Boston, MA
Inmate sentenced to more than 4 years in prison killing of Boston gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An inmate was sentenced to more than four years Thursday for his role in the 2018 fatal bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in a troubled West Virginia federal prison.
Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to an assault charge. He could have faced up to 10 years in prison. DeCologero was already serving a 25-year sentence handed down in 2006 after he was convicted of buying heroin used to try to kill a teenage girl.
Prosecutors initially had said DeCologero and inmate Fotios “Freddy” Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton from another lockup in Florida.
But on Thursday, both prosecutors and the defense said DeCologero only served as a lookout and had not physically assaulted Bulger.
US District Judge Thomas Kleeh said the sentence was “fair, just and appropriate” and “strikes the balance the court is trying to seek.”
DeCologero, 50, declined to speak when given the opportunity to address the court. Defense attorney Patrick Nash began by conveying an apology from DeCologero to Bulger’s family as well as the inmate’s own relatives.
Nash described DeCologero as the victim of an “abusive and neglectful” upbringing.
“Paul has had an incredibly difficult life,” Nash said. “As a result of that, Paul is a person who is easily led. Anyone who shows him attention, he’s easily led.”
An uncle eventually took in DeCologero and made him part of a criminal organization, Nash said.
In Bulger’s killing, “Paul was involved,” Nash said. “He is guilty. But his role was limited.”
Assistant US Attorney Brandon Flower declined to comment after the sentencing.
According to court records, inmates found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at Hazelton. An inmate previously told a grand jury that DeCologero said to him that Bulger was a snitch and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.
Prosecutors have said DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulger’s cell. Geas hit Bulger, while DeCologero served as a lookout and helped cover Bulger’s body, Flower said Thursday. DeCologero’s DNA was found on two blankets, the prosecutor said.
Geas has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries up to a life sentence. His hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6. Last year, the Justice Department said it would not seek the death penalty.
Another inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon got credit for spending 22 months in custody after his 2022 indictment, was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. McKinnon had served out a sentence for stealing guns from a firearms dealer.
Plea deals for the three men were disclosed May 13. Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulger’s death, but they remained uncharged for years as the investigation dragged on.
Prior to Bulger’s death, employees at Hazelton had been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing. After Bulger was killed, prison officials were criticized for placing him in the general population instead of more protective housing.
A Justice Department inspector general investigation found in 2022 that the killing was the result of multiple layers of management failures, widespread incompetence and flawed policies at the federal Bureau of Prisons.
The inspector general found no evidence of “malicious intent” by any bureau employees but said a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger at the mercy of rival gangsters.
In July, the US Senate passed legislation to overhaul oversight and bring greater transparency to the Bureau of Prisons following reporting from The Associated Press that exposed systemic corruption in the federal prison system and increased congressional scrutiny.
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston in the 1970s and ’80s, was also an FBI informant who provided the agency with information on the main rival to his gang.
He became one of the nation’s most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994, thanks to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run.
Bulger was convicted in 2013 in a string of 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes, many of them committed while he was said to be an FBI informant.
DeCologero, who was in a gang led by his uncle, was convicted of buying heroin that was used to try to kill a teenage girl because his uncle feared she would betray the crew to police. After the heroin did not kill her, another man broke her neck, dismembered her body and buried her remains in the woods, court records say.
Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer but was not an official “made” member because he is Greek, not Italian.
He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Bruno’s killing because he was upset that he had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.
Boston, MA
Boston’s season stays alive with dramatic buzzer-beater to advance to conference title game
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Boston Terriers men’s basketball team advanced to the Patriot League finals on Sunday with a nail-biting victory over the Navy Midshipmen, 73-72.
And it couldn’t have come closer than what took place at the end of the second half.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Boston University Terriers guard Michael McNair (20) drives to the basket against Northwestern Wildcats forward Arrinten Page (22) during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Nov. 7, 2025. (David Banks/Imagn Images)
Chance Gladden #2 of the Boston University Terriers is defended by Ben Eisendrath #5 of the Harvard Crimson during the 2025 college Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase game between Harvard Crimson and Boston University Terriers on Nov. 22, 2025, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Terriers came into the game as the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. The Midshipmen had the best record in the conference and were the No. 1 seed. The game was tied at 70 apiece with Navy inbounding the ball from the other side of the court with about 8.4 seconds left in the game.
Navy’s Austin Benigni received the pass and took the ball coast-to-coast for the go-ahead layup.
Boston’s Chance Gladden received the ball quickly in a last-ditch effort to try to put the Terriers back up. He dribbled up the court, went behind his back as he crossed mid-court and threw up a prayer from well beyond the 3-point line. It went in.
Navy Midshipmen’s mascot, Bill the Goat, in the stand during the Army/Navy basketball game on Feb. 21, 2026, at Christl Arena in West Point, New York. (David Hahn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE HOOPS EXPERIENCE
The Terriers improved to 17-16 on the season and still have hopes that they could punch their ticket to the dance with a win in the Patriot League Championship. Navy, with a record of 26-7, may be on the outside looking into the NCAA Tournament this season.
Gladden finished with 26 points on 8-of-12 from the field. He made three 3-pointers and had four assists to his credit. Michael McNair added 22 points.
Navy’s Aidan Kehoe had 26 points, 12 rebounds and five steals in the loss. Benigni added 17 points.
A detailed view of the Patriot League conference logo shown on the floor before a college basketball game between the American Eagles and the Navy Midshipmen at Bender Arena on Jan. 12, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Boston will play Lehigh in the Patriot League Championship on Wednesday.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
As tensions remain high in the Middle East, travel continues to be impacted across the globe.
Flights to and from the Middle East keep getting canceled at Boston Logan International Airport, and there were no signs of improvement Sunday as Americans are left scrambling to get to safety. The Trump administration has promised to help but getting out isn’t easy.
Several flights from Dubai to Boston were canceled Sunday, and aviation experts say about 3,000 seats per day go through Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Without them, people are trying to get home through Europe or Asia.
When not in use by the team during the NFL season, the Patriots team plane is operated by a charter company for various flights.
Meanwhile, Iran’s busiest airport was hit by strikes with Israel later saying it was being used to transfer weapons to regime allies in the region.
The Iranian foreign minister spoke on Meet the Press Sunday about what it would take to agree to a ceasefire and ultimately end the war.
“Nobody wants to continue this war. This is not our war. This is not a war of our choice. This is imposed on us by the United States, by Israelis…” Abbas Araghchi said. “People have been killed. Places have been destroyed and now they want to ask for a ceasefire again? This doesn’t work like this.”
With no clear end to this conflict and airlines backed up as it is, experts say it will take a while to get people where they need to go, though the State Department says it has chartered many flights to bring Americans home, including chartering the Patriots plane.
The Iranian strike on Bahrain came after Tehran accused the US of hitting one of its desalination plants. Persian Gulf countries relay on the civilian infrastructure for most of their fresh drinking water, and sustained attacks could compound the impact of a war that’s already rattled the stability of financial hubs in the region.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the military not to attack any nation that isn’t striking the Islamic Republic and apologized to neighboring countries. Trump said the remarks amounted to a surrender, but Tehran pressed ahead with strikes.
“When the enemy attacks us from bases in the region, we respond and will continue to respond. That’s our right and it’s a standing policy,” Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on state television on Saturday. “Countries in the region must either prevent the US from using their territory against Iran themselves, or we will.”
The Iranian president’s comments drew domestic anger, prompting speculation of a rift between him and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which coordinates Iran’s missile program and regional militia alliances, according to Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute.
On Sunday, Pezeshkian said Iran’s adversaries had drawn “naive conclusions” from his earlier remarks, adding Tehran is “compelled” to respond to aggression carried out from other countries.
Iran’s armed forces have the capacity to sustain at least six months of high-intensity war at the current pace and will start using more advanced, rarely-used long-range missiles in coming days, state news agency IRIB said Sunday, citing the Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Trump said on Saturday that the US will consider striking areas and groups of people in Iran that weren’t previously considered targets.
Israeli jets targeted Iranian oil depots in the Kuhak and Shahran areas of Tehran as well as the nearby city of Karaj, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen separately said targets including oil refineries and power stations were on the table and acknowledged an escalation in attacks.
Explosions were heard in parts of the city, where authorities urged residents to wear face masks and stay indoors, citing the air pollution risks from the debris clouds.
The semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported that the Red Crescent had warned the explosion of fuel-storage tanks had released massive amounts of hazardous particles into the atmosphere.
The UAE, which pumped more than 3.5 million barrels a day as OPEC’s third-biggest producer in January, started cutting oil production at its offshore fields. Kuwait, OPEC’s fifth-biggest producer, reduced crude oil and refinery production, citing the “ongoing aggression” by Iran.
The Trump administration pushed back against worries around surging energy costs as a result of the war, with US gasoline prices rising to the highest since September 2024. US crude futures ended the week above $90 a barrel — more than $20 higher than last Friday — and notched the biggest weekly percentage gain on record in data going back to the 1980s.
Shares of Saudi Aramco climb as much as 4.9% on Sunday, the most in nearly three years.
Bahrain said three people were injured after shrapnel from intercepted missiles fell on the country. Separately, a water desalination plant in the country was damaged by an Iranian drone attack but water supplies remain unaffected, Bahrain said on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia intercepted a drone heading toward its Shaybah oil field, three others east of the capital Riyadh and shot down three more in the city. Defense forces thwarted an attempt on the Diplomatic Quarter, where the US embassy is located, in the first confirmed targeting of the area since early last week.
At least one person was killed in Dubai due to “debris from an aerial interception,” the emirate said.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a rare public appearance to warn Iran to stop attacking it. “The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh — we are no easy prey,” he said.
Australia is assessing a request from Gulf nations for defensive military support to protect them against Iranian drone and missile attacks, but declined to say what it might provide.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Saturday there would have to be a “very good reason” for the US to deploy ground troops to Iran, adding that Iranian forces would likely have to be so decimated they wouldn’t be able to resist. The US president also said he had ruled out the idea of armed Kurdish forces entering Iran to join the fight.
Trump added the war would continue “for a little while” and oil prices would come back down.
China, which is a significant buyer of Iranian oil, has called for a ceasefire. But Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday signaled that Beijing won’t allow the conflict to affect its relationship with Washington ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The war began after the US and Israel struck the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28,and more than a dozen countries have been sucked into the fray. Iran has so far reported 1,332 deaths, alongside widespread destruction. Scores of others were killed elsewhere in the region, while six US service members have lost their lives.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected the country’s next supreme leader, the semi‑official Mehr news agency said citing council member Ahmad Alamolhoda, without providing a name. He replaces Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed on the first day of the conflict. Mojtaba Khamenei, the slain leader’s second-oldest son, was viewed as being a possible pick.
Airlines remain hamstrung by the conflict, with the number of canceled flights to Middle East hubs surpassing 27,000 since fighting began. Thousands of passengers remained stranded in the Gulf region, although on Friday Emirates said it’s aiming for a return to full network operations in coming days.
–With assistance from Onur Ant, Shamim Adam, Dan Williams, Neil Munshi, Patrick Sykes, Christine Burke, Dana Khraiche and Leen Al-Rashdan.
©2026 Bloomberg L.P.
Soak up sunlight in SF with these 18 fun events
Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat
Miami Dolphins releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, team says
Boston’s season stays alive with dramatic buzzer-beater to advance to conference title game
Sprint to the Summit: Inside the ‘whirlwind 14 months’ to launch Denver’s NWSL team
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Video: Airports Struggle to Staff T.S.A. During Partial Government Shutdown
Before-and-after satellite imagery offers a rare look at damage inside Iran
Hungary's opposition leader Péter Magyar calls on Russia to refrain from election interference
Video appears to show U.S. cruise missile striking Iranian school compound
Trump vows block on signing new laws until SAVE America Act passes Senate
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts6 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Maryland1 week agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida1 week agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Pennsylvania4 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
Oregon1 week ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
News1 week ago2 Survivors Describe the Terror and Tragedy of the Tahoe Avalanche
-
Sports4 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death