Massachusetts mayor arrested for extorting marijuana vendors for 6-figure bribes
USA TODAY
Published 2:32 p.m. ET Sept. 6, 2019 |
Updated 10:38 a.m. ET Sept. 7, 2019
Fall
River Mayor Jasiel Correia speaks beside his attorney Kevin Reddington
outside the federal courthouse, Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in Boston, after
his appearance on bribery, extortion and fraud charges. Correia pleaded
not guilty. (AP Photo/Philip Marcelo) ORG XMIT: RPPM102 (Photo: Philip Marcelo, AP)
BOSTON —
Jasiel Correia II, the already embattled mayor of Fall River,
Massachusetts, was arrested Friday on new federal extortion charges for
allegedly operating a scheme to help marijuana vendors get approval to
operate in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
Prosecutors
say Correia agreed to sign non-opposition letters in return for
significant six-figure payments from four marijuana vendors looking to
open businesses in the city of nearly 90,000 about an hour's drive south
of Boston. The letters are required to obtain a license to operate a
marijuana business in Massachusetts, where cannabis is legal.
Correia, 27, appeared in Boston federal court Friday afternoon and pleaded not guilty.
"I'm
not guilty of these charges," he told reporters
afterward, standing next to his attorney outside the courthouse. "I've
done nothing but good for the great city of Fall River, me and my staff,
and my team. I'm going to continue to do great things for our
citizens."
The
Democrat mayor also is accused of extorting $3,900 in cash and
a $7,500-to-$12,000 "Batman" Rolex watch from a property owner in
exchange for activating the water supply to his building. In addition,
federal prosecutors say Correia demanded his chief of staff give him
half of her $78,700 salary in return for appointing her and allowing her
to keep her city job.
Four others, including the former chief of staff, Genoveva Andrade, also were charged with federal crimes.
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