Indicted Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia Loses Reelection Bid
FALL RIVER (AP/CBS) — A Massachusetts mayor facing federal fraud and extortion charges has lost reelection.
Incumbent Jasiel Correia remained on the Fall River ballot Tuesday even though he suspended his reelection campaign.
Paul Coogan, a two-time member of the city's school committee, won the election.
Coogan said the city is tired of what he called dirty politics. "It's about turning a very big page," Coogan said. "Fall River has been whacked senseless for about a year, I'm not saying we didn't deserve it, but we're going to turn the page tonight and instill some integrity back in the city and get things moving."
Ballots were printed before Correia put his campaign on hold and took a voluntary leave of absence in mid-October.
The 27-year-old has handed most of his day-to-day duties to the city council president.
Correia was first elected at age 23 and finished second to Coogan in September's primary.
Correia has pleaded not guilty to extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana companies.
He has also pleaded not guilty to defrauding investors in a smartphone app he was developing to fund a lavish lifestyle and further his political career.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
