Mayor Correia rakes in $52K in donations from local marijuana industry

FALL RIVER — With the burgeoning medical and recreational cannabis industry, the city anticipates new revenue to help fill its coffers.

It’s also been a boon to Mayor Jasiel Correia II, with approximately $52,000 in donations related to the local marijuana industry to his campaign and legal defense funds.

To date, Correia has signed 10 letters of non-opposition and negotiated host community agreements for facilities that offer medical marijuana, recreational pot sales, or both.

The Herald News analyzed 10 companies’ corporation filing data with Correia’s campaign and legal defense fund reports from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Correia received donations from seven of the 10 companies’ principals and associates.

Letters of support and the host community agreements from the mayor are a critical first step for any marijuana operation to move forward, in a long and arduous process with the state Department of Public Health, which approves medical marijuana licenses, and the Cannabis Control Commission, which approves recreational marijuana.

One facility, Northeast Alternatives, 999 William Canning Boulevard, is currently the only operation selling medicinal and recreational marijuana.

OCPF reports show the principals of Northeast Alternatives and associates have donated a total of $27,000 to Correia’s funds.

The Portsmouth, R.I.-based company Jh Holdings Group donated $20,000 to Correia’s legal defense fund last April.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s corporation website lists Christopher Harkins and Jeffrey Johnson as the companies’ managers. The two men are also president and treasurer respectively of Northeast Alternatives.

Harkins signed the host community agreement with the city on April 13. Four days later, Correia received the large donation to the legal defense fund.

The $20,000 donation was given months before Correia was arrested on Oct. 11, accused of 13 federal counts of wire and tax fraud related to charges he misused investment money in his startup smartphone app company SnoOwl. He has refused to resign while under indictment, and faces a recall election next week.

Other companies were not as generous as Northeast Alternatives, but most donated several thousand dollars to Correia.

• Loop Cultivation and Premium Chef Edibles, whose principal is listed as Matt Pichette, signed off on a host community agreement on Aug. 15 and Aug. 17. Pichette is also listed as owner of the Fall River-based contractor Russco Inc. Less than a month later, on Sept. 6, Correia received $7,000 from Pichette and relatives associated with Russco. Pitchette also contributed $1,125 to Correia’s campaign fund between 2015 and 2017, for a total of $8,125.

• Cannatech Medicinals was the first marijuana company to receive a host community agreement signing with its president Dr. Henry Crowley on June 1, 2016. Crowley donated $3,500 to Correia’s campaign fund in October 2015 and September 2018. His partner in the marijuana business, Dr. Steven Pimental, donated $2,025 to the mayor’s campaign fund between 2015 and 2018 and an additional $1,500 to his legal defense fund in April 2018.

• Hope, Heal, Health’s owner John Rogue, who is also a co-owner with the R.I. based- Medici Products and Solutions, and those associated with both companies donated a total of $7,000. Most of the $1,000 donations were made 11 days before Correia and Rogue signed the host community agreement.

• Agricultural Healing owner Colin Geoffroy, who signed the host community agreement in June 2018, does not appear in OCPF reports as a political donor. However, Vincent J. Geoffroy, who shares a Falmouth address with Colin Geoffroy, donated $1,000. Vincent J. Geoffroy is also listed in the state corporation database as the manager of Sherle Wagner International, an entity that is listed as donating $5,000 to Correia’s legal defense fund in September 2018.

• The Haven Center has a host community agreement pending, according to Corporation Counsel Joseph Macy. Owner Chris Taloumis and Jill Taloumis are listed in OCPF reports as donating $475 in 2015.

Marijuana companies that have agreements with the city, Xiphias Wellness (now known as Nature’s Wellness), Greener Leaf and the Giving Tree Health Center do not appear to have donated to Correia’s campaign or legal defense funds.

Correia responded by text after a request for comment:

“My campaign year after year raises funds allowed by campaign finance to help get my positive message out to our citizens. I’m happy to have the support of many industry’s [sic] and individuals.”

Peter Bernard, president of the Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Council, sees the degree of contributions Correia received from marijuana companies as associated with his legal issues.

"I'm a little put off by it, but not terribly surprised. If I was a shady opportunist I would look at Fall River before the mayor gets thrown out of office," said Bernard.

Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com