Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia Faces Yet Another Test

FALL RIVER, MA — The youngest mayor in Fall River history faces yet another electoral test Tuesday: A week after Fall River City Council voted to oust him, Jasiel Correia, who has refused to vacate the office, is on the preliminary election ballot.

Correia faces 22 federal charges ranging from fraud to extortion after being arrested for the second time in a year two weeks ago. He's already survived a recall election in March, when voters opted to remove him, but on the same ballot selected him as his own replacement over four other candidates.

In Tuesday's election, Fall River voters will narrow down a field of three candidates to set up a one-on-one matchup on Nov. 5. Correia faces Paul Coogan and Erica Scott-Pacheco, two of his opponents in the March vote.

Correia was most recently arrested Sept. 6, the second time in less than a year the defiant 27-year-old was taken from his home by federal authorities. Correia, already facing federal fraud and tax charges, is now also accused of extorting marijuana vendors for cash, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling. He pleaded not guilty to the nine new charges.

Following the second arrest, Fall River City Council voted 8-1 to temporarily remove him. But the young mayor refused to sign the order and leave the office.

Correia is now facing 22 counts on various charges.

Correia, a Democrat, was first arrested in October 2018 and pleaded not guilty to nine counts of wire fraud and four counts of tax fraud. The day after Christmas, Correia said he would not resign, despite calls from the City Council to step down.

Corriea assumed office in 2016, becoming the youngest mayor in city history at age 24.