Indictment lays out details of case; Mayor Jasiel Correia pleads not guilty to charges

Federal prosecutors are accusing Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia of demanding bribes in exchange for granting highly sought-after letters of non-opposition and community host agreements for marijuana retailers looking to open businesses in the city. According to the indictment, “Correia began monetizing his official position to fund his lavish lifestyle and mounting legal bills” by leveraging his power to grant the local approvals.

The 40-page indictment lays out the allegations against the mayor and his former chief of staff, both of whom pleaded not guilty, and three alleged co-conspirators.

The first instance of alleged extortion documented by prosecutors occurred in June 2016, when an unnamed middleman introduced a prospective cannabis vendor to an unnamed mayoral aide. The indictment describes "Mayoral Aide 1" as a supporter and investor in SnoOwl, the mayor's former smartphone app, who worked for the administration at a salary of $84,000; Hildegard Camara was named by Correia as executive director of the Bristol County Training Consortium, with a $84,000 salary.

"Middleman 1," at the alleged direction of Correia, subsequently told the vendor Correia wanted $250,000 in exchange for a letter of non-opposition. The vendor gave the middleman an initial check for $100,000 with a memo line that indicated the funds were for “Property Management Fees/Retainer,” the indictment alleges.

Middleman 1 is described in the indictment as a SnoOwl investor, owner of several properties and an illegal marijuana dealer, who regularly did business with Fall River but who did not hold an official position. Middleman 1 did business with Marijuana Vendor 1 and 2, according to the indictment. Property owner and businessman Antonio Costa accepted a plea deal Friday in relation to the case against Correia; he also has a history of marijuana convictions in Rhode Island.

The indictment alleged Correia drove to the middleman’s home several times, typically in his city-issued vehicle, to pick up his $70,000 cut in installments. He was due to receive an additional $150,000 bribe after cannabis business became profitable, per the indictment.

That same month, the middleman purchased a commercial mill building at 379 Kilburn St. only to learn the structure’s sprinkler system was inoperable, the indictment states. The middleman regularly did business in Fall River and contacted Correia for help, knowing that “Correia expected to get paid for for official action.”

A jeweler who was a friend of the middleman gave the middleman a Rolex watch known by enthusiasts as the “Batman” valued between $7,500 and $12,000, per the indictment. The middleman gave Correia the watch “in exchange official action and assistance, including, but not limited to, official action related to the water issue at 379 Kilburn.”

In July 2017, Correia was renting space at a property also owned by the middleman at 257 South Main St. for his campaign headquarters. According to the indictment, Correia and Andrade delivered a check to the middleman for $3,900, cut from his campaign fund, to cover the rent.

Upon delivering the check, Correia allegedly told the middleman to give him $3,900 back in cash, and the middleman allegedly agreed, understanding that “this cash payment was part of a stream of benefits that he agreed to pay Correia in exchange for favorable official action and assistance from the mayor,” the indictment reads.

During the alleged exchange of cash, the middleman and Correia were standing in front of a window at 257 South Main St., which is across the street from Fall River Justice Center. Andrade is alleged to have told the pair, “Do not be giving cash out in front of the window,” per the indictment. Costa owns 257 South Main St.

In November 2017, Correia told Andrade she would have to kick back half her salary and nearly all of a $10,000 city-funded “snow stipend” in order to keep her job as chief of staff, the indictment alleges. Correia had asked that Andrade be given the stipend for efforts managing the city's response to winter storms.

When a marijuana vendor told Andrade Correia was blaming her for the issuance of a non-opposition letter to another company, Andrade, according to prosecutors, replied “that’s bul****, there are lots of sleazy things the mayor has going on.”

Andrade continued, “You want to hear something even more f***** up … I have to give [Correia] half of my salary,” the indictment reads.

Two years later, in July 2018, the middleman met with a second marijuana vendor and told him a letter of non-opposition would cost $250,000, a sum that was negotiated down to $150,000, according to the indictment.

The indictment reads, “At a June 20, 2018 dinner at Ocean Prime (and later at a cigar bar in the North End, Correia told (the vendor) that he would only approve five or six dispensaries in Fall River and confirmed that (the vendor) was willing to pay a bribe."

The vendor gave the middleman $25,000 cash recently withdrawn from a bank inside an envelope. The middleman put the envelope in a shed in the backyard of one of Correia’s aides on July 7, 2018, the indictment alleges.

In a sign that Correia may have known about federal authorities’ interest in his dealings, Correia picked up the cash only to return it after Correia, according to the charging document, expressed concern that the envelope was “Fed money.”

Instead of taking a cash payment, it was agreed that the middleman would sell marijuana to generate money for the bribe. The indictment alleges that by August, the vendor paid bribes up to $67,550 including cash and 12 to 15 pounds of marijuana, the indictment alleges.

On July 11, 2018, a second unnamed middleman agreed to help a third marijuana vendor get a letter of non-opposition, and said later that month that the vendor is “going to have to start helping [Correia] out, because he is going to help you,” the indictment reads.

Also in August, Correia and others allegedly conspired to extort “approximately $100,000 from (marijuana vendor #3) in campaign contributions, cash, and a mortgage discharge,” in exchange for two non-opposition letters.

At a meeting at a cigar shop in Fall River, the vendor agreed to give Correia up to $6,000 cash and two $12,500 bribes concealed as small donations to Correia made by the vendors friends and family, according to the indictment.

The wife of the vendor was fined $5,000 for making illegal donations to Mayor Jasiel Correia II’s campaign by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Financing as a result of the donations. In a chance encounter with the vendor’s wife in July, Correia apologized “for all the stuff that went down with campaign finance, the indictment alleges.

Later that month, Correia and co-conspirators allegedly extorted over $100,000 from a fourth marijuana vendor.

Prosecutors allege Correia and Andrade showed up unannounced at the vendor’s place of business. According to the indictment, Correia told the vendor that he would give him a letter of non-opposition in exchange for $250,000.

When the vendor asked why the payment was so high, Correia allegedly said it was for his legal fees. As he and Andrade walked out, Andrade allegedly told the vendor, “you’re family now,” the indictment reads.

Correia returned to the vendor’s business several days later, on July 5, in his official city vehicle and told the vendor to get inside, the indictment alleges. The vendor gave Correia $75,000 cash stores inside a contractor’s clipboard, then Correia allegedly handed the vendor a letter of non-opposition.

Email Amanda Burke at aburke@heraldnews.com.