FALL RIVER — Dueling shots were fired across the bow this week as the criminal defense attorney representing Jasiel Correia II sent a letter to City Councilor Shawn Cadime after the latter publicly accused the mayor of illicitly taking money from marijuana companies.
A day after receiving the letter, which hinted possible legal action against Cadime for his statement, the councilor sent his own letter to the federal prosecutor handling Correia’s criminal case.
Cadime said he received a letter Monday from defense attorney Kevin Reddington, sent by certified mail to the City Council clerk’s office. Reddington, a highly regarded defense attorney, is representing Correia in a federal criminal case set to go to trial in February. Correia is facing 13 counts of wire and tax fraud connected to SnoOwl, a smartphone app company he oversaw before he was in office.
Reddington copied the letter to City Council President Cliff Ponte and U.S. Assistant Attorney Zachary Hafer, the government's co-counsel prosecuting Correia’s case.
Cadime made his remarks during the July 15 City Council meeting as councilors debated whether an ordinance should be passed to cap the licenses for marijuana facilities in the city at 11. Cadime accused the mayor at that meeting of receiving “kickback” money from marijuana companies in exchange for letters of non-opposition and host agreements, documents required for the companies to then proceed to the state Cannabis Control Commission for licenses.
“I think it’s something we all know but completely ignore is the money being given to the administration by these marijuana companies for these licenses and the kickback monies that he is receiving in order to issue these licenses,” Cadime said at the meeting.
The councilor later said he was referring to donations made by the principals of several city marijuana companies to Correia’s political campaign fund and a legal defense fund shortly after the mayor signed their letters of non-opposition and host agreements. The Herald News, in an analysis of Correia’s campaign and legal defense fund accounts, found the mayor had received at least $55,000 in donations from people associated with the marijuana industry.
Cadime said he was also referencing another alleged payment made to Correia in exchange for a letter and agreement.
“Individuals going to the grand jury are talking to everyone,” Cadime told The Herald News.
Calling Reddington’s correspondence “laughable and ironic,” Cadime accused Correia of creating a political career based on intimidation.
Reddington's letter to ... by Phil Devitt on Scribd
Reddington’s letter starts with the attorney expressing that he “was quite taken aback” by Cadime’s “slanderous comments.”
“Your observation that 'we are know' [sic] is either an actionable statement which is malicious per se or made with reckless regard for the truth," Reddington wrote. "I believe you are just speaking for the sake of garnering some publicity to further your own agenda."
Reddington alleged that Cadime’s comments were “clearly irresponsible especially coming from a sitting councilor.”
In the last line of the letter, Reddington wrote, “Further irresponsible, childish comments of this incendiary nature will be made at your own legal peril."
Reddington asked Cadime to contact Hafer, suggesting the U.S. attorney "would love" to hear the councilor's “apparent insider knowledge.”
Cadime told The Herald News Monday that he had a response to Reddington’s suggestion that he contact the federal attorney. “U.S. Attorney Hafer is probably hearing from a lot more interesting people with a lot more information, so he doesn’t need a call from me,” Cadime said.
However, on Tuesday, Cadime provided a copy of a letter he wrote to Hafer.
“I strongly believe in holding public officials accountable for their actions and would be happy to provide you with any assistance I can to bring an end to the public corruption, which in my opinion, has plagued the City of Fall River since 2016,” wrote Cadime, referencing the year Correia took office.
Correia declined to comment on the intent of Reddington’s letter. He responded instead with a list of his achievements in a text message: “I’m busy saving money, adding more public safety officials, increasing school funding, eliminating more fees, and making our community beautiful. All of which Councilor Cadime has been against under my tenure. He should focus more on positive than personal.”
The Herald News recently asked Correia about the possibility of additional federal charges. The mayor denied ever doing “anything criminal.”
“It is literally nonsense,” Correia said last week, maintaining he is “laser-focused” on his job as the city’s leader.
Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.
Shawn Cadime's letter t... by Phil Devitt on Scribd