Man Charged as Lookout in Whitey Bulger Killing Admits to Lying to F.B.I.

One of three inmates charged in the death of James (Whitey) Bulger, the Boston underworld figure who was fatally bludgeoned within hours of his being transferred to a prison in West Virginia, pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of lying to federal agents.

The defendant, Sean McKinnon, 38, escaped additional prison time after prosecutors dropped a more serious murder conspiracy charge.

He was initially charged with serving as a lookout, while two other inmates at the Hazelton federal prison, Fotios (Freddy) Geas and Paul DeCologero, rained a series of savage blows on Mr. Bulger’s head. They have also been charged in the case. The attack occurred less than 12 hours after Mr. Bulger, 89, was transferred to the correction facility in Bruceton Mills, W.Va.

Under his plea agreement, Mr. McKinnon faced up to five years in prison on the lying charge as well as a fine of $250,000. But he was credited with the almost two years he spent in prison after his indictment in the case, and U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh allowed him to leave the courtroom on Monday without an additional sentence.

At the time of Mr. Bulger’s slaying, Mr. McKinnon was serving an eight-year sentence for stealing a dozen firearms and trading them for heroin and cocaine. He was released in the summer of 2022 but was rearrested shortly afterward on the new charges stemming from Mr. Bulger’s death.