Judge: State regulators can access info on marijuana vendors in Correia case

BOSTON — A federal court judge granted a motion filed by federal prosecutors in the criminal case against former mayor Jasiel Correia II and co-defendant Gen Andrade Monday that would allow the Cannabis Control Commission access to protected discovery evidence involving five city marijuana vendors.

U.S. Federal District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock signed the order after U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Hafer and David Tobin asked a judge Friday for permission to “share certain materials” with state marijuana regulators “so that the CCC can perform its legitimate regulatory duties.”

“The discovery materials and information contained therein shall be used solely for the purpose of litigating matters in this case and shall not be divulged to any person except that the government may disclose the interview reports of the individuals in the Second Superseding Indictment as MJ (marijuana) Vendor #1, MJ Vendor #2, MJ Vendor #3, MJ Vendor #4 and MJ Vendor #5,” the amended protective order states.

The order also indicates that before the CCC would disclose any protected information, it would seek the court's permission.

Correia and Andrade, Correia's former chief of staff and campaign manager, were arrested in September 2019.

Correia is accused of extorting a total of $600,000 from the marijuana companies seeking his signature on letters of non-opposition and host community agreements. The city’s mayor is currently the lone local approving authority for marijuana businesses. Such approval is necessary for securing final licenses from the state.

The CCC has the power to revoke licenses.

Correia has pleaded not guilty to a total of 24 federal charges including a scheme to defraud investors in his company, SnoOwl, an app he developed before becoming the city’s youngest mayor.

Andrade is facing four federal charges including accusations that she helped extort money from one of four marijuana vendors. She also has entered pleas of not guilty.

Attempting to sever her criminal trial from Correia’s trial, Andrade has until Feb. 19 to respond to the federal prosecutors’ stance that she and the former mayor be tried together in the extortion cases.

Three local men – Antone Costa, David Hebert and Hildegar Camara – pleaded guilty for their roles in the alleged extortion plot after signing plea agreements in exchange for their cooperation with the federal government in the case against Correia and Andrade. They are awaiting sentencing.

Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.