Twice-indicted Fall River, Massachusetts, Mayor Jasiel Correia II intends to take a leave of absence and end his run for re-election.
Correia, 27, will make an announcement Tuesday, according to a press release his communications firm sent Monday night. He intends to retain the mayoral title until the end of his term on Jan. 1, while adding he will cede powers and daily operational functions to City Council president Cliff Ponte.
Correia faces federal
A superseding 24-count indictment on Sept. 6 accused him of bribery; extortion conspiracy; extortion and aiding and abetting; wire fraud; and filing false tax returns. He pleaded not guilty last month.
In October 2018, Prosecutors from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Boston charged him with defrauding investors in a smartphone app company called SnoOwl, which Correia co-owned.
Correia, elected in 2015 as the city's youngest mayor at age 23, survived a recall attempt by the City Council in March. Last weekend, a Bristol County Superior Court judge rejected the council's latest attempt to remove him.
According to the most recent indictment, Correia agreed to issue non-opposition letters to marijuana vendors — a requisite for operating in Massachusetts — in return for cash bribes and other payments.
Prosecutors also charged Correia with extorting a building owner for cash and a Rolex watch in exchange for activating the water supply to a commercial building; and demanding his chief of staff, Genoveva Andrade, give him half of her salary in return for appointing her and allowing her to keep her city job.
Correia told the Boston Globe he was stepping aside “so the city is not distracted by this assault on my career and my legacy.” He added: "I have not done anything wrong. However, I also recognize the city is bigger than Jasiel Correia.”
Gov. Charlie Baker and U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, who represents Fall River, had called on Correia to resign.
While surviving his Sept. 17 primary battle and advancing to the general election, he still finished a distant second in a vote to narrow the field to two from three.
He earned 2,777 votes, according to the unofficial tally, 606 votes ahead of community activist Erica Scott-Pacheco but well behind School Committee member Paul Coogan's 8,273.
Following Correia's arrest, Rep. Carole Fiola, D-Fall River,
The legislation would require approval by a majority of a municipality’s city council or board of selectmen. In cities, a mayor or equivalent officeholder would also have to approve the deal.
