Former Fall River mayor found guilty of corruption

FALL RIVER, Mass. — A onetime celebrated young Massachusetts mayor has been convicted of swindling investors out of tens of thousands of dollars and extorting marijuana vendors.

Former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia was found guilty on Friday by a jury after about 23 hours of deliberations in Boston’s federal court.

Correia has been found guilty on 21 counts of wire fraud, filing false tax returns, extortion, and extortion conspiracy. He was found not guilty on three of the counts against him.

Correia had insisted since his 2018 arrest that he was innocent and blamed the charges on his political foes he claimed wanted to bring him down.

The trial put a spotlight on Correia’s dramatic rise and fall in Fall River, where he was first elected mayor at age 23 in 2015.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to twice the loss involved and restitution. The charges of filing false tax returns provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of extortion conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charges of extortion aiding and abetting provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

He will be released pending his sentencing on Sept. 20. The judge believes he is “no risk of flight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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