Jasiel Correia facts for kids

Jasiel F. Correia II (born December 11, 1991) is an American politician. He served as the mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts from 2016 to 2020. While in office, he faced legal issues. He was not re-elected in November 2019, and his term ended on January 6, 2020.

In May 2021, Correia was found guilty of several federal charges in Boston. On September 21, 2021, he was sentenced to six years in federal prison. He began serving his sentence in April 2022.

Political Journey

The Fall River logo designed during Correia's administration, typically paired with the slogan
"Make it here."

In 2013, Jasiel Correia ran for a spot on the Fall River City Council. He finished 10th, and the top nine candidates were elected. However, one of the elected councilors, Cathy Ann Viveiros, took a different job. This created an open spot on the City Council.

Correia filled this open spot on January 6, 2014. He was the next person in line from the previous election.

Becoming Mayor

In November 2015, Correia made history. At 23 years old, he became the youngest person ever elected mayor of Fall River. He won against the current mayor, Sam Sutter, with nearly 52% of the votes.

He officially became the city's 44th mayor in January 2016. In November 2017, Correia was elected for a second term. He won with 61% of the votes against City Councilor Linda M. Pereira.

Legal Issues Begin

On October 11, 2018, Correia was arrested. He faced charges related to misusing money and tax issues. The charges claimed he used funds from his company, SnoOwl, for his own personal use.

Correia denied these charges. He stated he would not step down as mayor. In February 2019, he offered to pay back investors in his company. This offer was later withdrawn.

Recall and Re-election

In November 2018, the Fall River City Council asked Correia to resign. On December 18, the Council voted to give him five days to resign. If he did not, he would face a special election called a recall election.

Correia refused to resign on December 26. The City Council then set March 12, 2019, as the date for the recall election. In a recall election, voters decide if an official should be removed. They also choose who should replace them.

Correia decided to run in the recall election to keep his own seat. He and four other candidates appeared on the ballot. On March 12, voters were first asked if Correia should be recalled. A majority, 61%, voted to recall him.

Then, voters chose from the five candidates. Correia received the most votes, 35%. This meant that even though voters recalled him, they also re-elected him to serve the rest of his term. He was set to serve until January 2020.

Some voters tried to stop this result in court. They argued the ballot was unfair and Correia should not have been allowed to run. However, a judge ruled that the city's rules did not stop a recalled official from being re-elected.

More Legal Challenges

In September 2019, Correia faced more legal issues. He was arrested again and faced new charges. These charges included asking for money unfairly and bribery. Four other people, including his former chief of staff, were also arrested.

The Fall River City Council again asked Correia to resign. They voted to remove him from his duties. Correia stated he would continue as mayor, saying the Council's vote was not binding. The City Council then tried to remove him through legal action.

On October 10, a judge denied this attempt. The judge ruled that only the citizens of Fall River could remove a mayor through a recall election.

November 2019 Mayoral Election

In the Fall River mayoral preliminary election on September 17, 2019, Correia was one of the top two finishers. This secured his spot on the ballot for the November general election.

Correia later told supporters he could not win against Paul Coogan in a direct race. He suggested a write-in candidate might make the election more open. On October 15, Correia announced a "temporary absence" as mayor. He also stopped campaigning, but his name remained on the ballot.

The city administrator, Cathy Ann Viveiros, then announced a write-in campaign for mayor. In the general election on November 5, Correia finished third. He received fewer votes than the winner, Paul Coogan, and the total write-in votes.

Federal Court Trial

Correia's trial for federal charges was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, his former chief of staff, Genoveva Andrade, pleaded guilty to federal charges. She admitted to helping Correia ask for money unfairly. She also admitted to giving back part of her salary to Correia.

Correia's federal trial began in Boston in April 2021. The jury began considering the case on May 10. He was later found guilty of several charges. The judge stated that "City Hall was for sale."

Incarceration

Jasiel Correia began his six-year prison sentence in April 2022. He was first held at a federal prison in New Hampshire. After about 18 months, he was moved to different facilities. In early January 2024, he was moved to FCI, Ashland, in Kentucky.

Personal Background

Jasiel Correia's parents moved to Fall River when they were children. His father is from Cape Verde, and his mother is from the Azores. He is not related to the city's 41st mayor, Robert Correia. In April 2020, a short documentary series about Correia was released. It was called Run This City.

Images for kids

• Rolex GMT Master II

  A "Batman" Rolex watch, mentioned in the charges against Correia.