Judge tosses some convictions against ex-Massachusetts mayor

BOSTON – A national justice connected Monday tossed retired respective convictions against the Massachusetts politician elected astatine conscionable 23 years aged who was recovered blameworthy by jurors of bilking investors and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana businesses.

U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock overturned 8 counts of the jury’s blameworthy verdict against against ex-Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia that the justice said prosecutors failed to beryllium during trial.

Corriea, who maintains helium is innocent, remains convicted of aggregate counts of ligament fraud, extortion conspiracy and extortion, but the trimming of his convictions volition undoubtedly interaction the punishment helium receives.

Correia, present 29, was expected to beryllium sentenced connected Monday, but the justice said helium was unpersuaded that determination was capable grounds to backmost up respective fraud counts against him stemming from allegations that Correia misused wealth helium got from investors who backed his smartphone app called “SnoOwl” connected lavish purchases for himself and his then-girlfriend.

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The justice said that prosecutors failed to beryllium six ligament fraud counts by showing that wires — oregon physics communications — were utilized to process the checks Correia got from the investors. The justice besides ruled that prosecutors failed to beryllium 2 counts of filing mendacious taxation returns.

Before the justice acquitted Correia connected respective counts, prosecutors had asked for 11 years successful prison, pointing to what they described arsenic Correia’s continued defiance. His lawyers had asked for 3 years down bars.

“This lawsuit evokes the fable of Icarus. Mr. Correia flew early, high, and fast. The verdict points to a hubristic nonaccomplishment of motivation compass and, now, a clang into the sea. But Mr. Correia’s communicative request not extremity there,” Correia's defence attorneys wrote successful tribunal papers.

The charges against Correia successful 2018 marked a stunning illness for the person who was elected connected a committedness to rejuvenate the struggling mill metropolis and was erstwhile seen arsenic a rising Democratic star.

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Prosecutors alleged that Correia looted a slope relationship of funds investors gave him for his smartphone app to bargain things for himself and ablution his woman successful costly gifts. Prosecutors said helium spent capitalist funds connected dinners astatine high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, casino trips and specified lavish items arsenic a Mercedes, a chopper circuit of Newport, Rhode Island, and a $700 brace of Christian Louboutin shoes.

Throughout his trial, prosecutors depicted him arsenic a greedy liar who misled those who pumped wealth into his app the aforesaid mode they accidental helium deceived voters to get elected by portraying himself arsenic a palmy entrepreneur. Investors told jurors that they had been impressed with Correia and trusted him to usage their currency to physique up the concern and marque them much money.

After becoming politician successful 2016, prosecutors accidental Correia began soliciting bribes from marijuana vendors successful speech for letters of support from the metropolis they needed successful bid to get a license. During the trial, prosecutors had 1 vendor usage fake wealth to amusement jurors however helium said helium stuffed $75,000 successful currency successful a metallic container clipboard earlier handing it to Correia successful the mayor’s city-issued vehicle.

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Correia was recovered blameworthy successful May of extortion, extortion conspiracy, ligament fraud and filing mendacious taxation returns aft 23 hours of assemblage deliberations implicit 4 days. The assemblage acquitted him connected 3 counts, including accusations that helium forced his main of unit to springiness him fractional of her wage successful bid to support her metropolis job.

For months aft his arrest, Correia resisted calls to permission bureau and survived a bizarre predetermination successful March 2019 during which helium was recalled by voters and reelected the aforesaid night. But aft national agents arrested him a 2nd clip — this clip for the extortion strategy — helium agreed successful October 2019 to instrumentality a permission of absence. He was ousted by voters the adjacent month.

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