FALL RIVER— Caling a corrupt official "worse than a thief," federal prosecutors asked for 11 years in prison, and almost $900,000 in penaltiesfor convicted former mayor Jasiel Correia II.
In a sentencing memorandum filed Friday in federal court, prosecutors asked for:
- 132 monthsincarceration;
- 24 months supervised release;
- $298,190 in restitution to certain SnoOwl investors;
- $20,473 in restitution to the IRS;
- $566,740 in forfeiture;
- and a mandatory special assessment of $2,100.
The sharply worded memorandum noted that "unlike some crooked politicians who eventually accept responsibility, Correia remains defiant and in denial – even after a trial in which 33 witnesses testified against him, the jury convicted him of 21 felonies, and his own lawyer praised the fairness of the proceedings."
Correia was found guilty in May of 21 of 24 total counts of fraud, bribery and extortion for deceiving investors inhis app company, SnoOwl, and shaking down marijuana vendors looking to do business in Fall River.
'No ordinary case'
Calling it "no ordinary case," prosecutors cited the "betrayal of people who considered him like family," as well as Correia's lies, cheating, stealing and blame-shifting.
The memorandum includes remarks President Theodore Roosevelt made Dec. 7, 1903, to Congress: "There can be no crime more serious than bribery. Other offenses violate one law while corruption strikes at the foundation of all law. Under our form of Government all authority is vested in the people and by them delegated to those who represent them in official capacity. There can be no offense heavier than that of him in whom such a sacred trust has been reposed, who sells it for his own gain and enrichment; and no less heavy is the offense of the bribe giver. He is worse than the thief, for the thief robs the individual, while the corrupt official plunders an entire city or State."
How Jasiel Correia fell from grace:'What he wanted was money, what he wanted was power'
So far, two of Correia's co-conspirators, Hildegar Camara and Tony Costa, have received no prison time for their role in the extortion scheme. However, Judge Douglas Woodlock rejected the plea deal reached by prosecutors and Correia's former chief of staff, Gen Andrade, who unlike Camara and Costa is accused of abusing her position as a public employee — just like her former boss.
How much will the victims get?
Included with the court filing are letters from SnoOwl investors Dr. David Cabeceiras and Stephen Miller, both of whom testified at Correia's lengthy trial. Cabeceiras, a Fall River orthodontist whose son was friends with Correia, noted in his letter that his loss of $145,000was "also a loss for his children and grandchildren" and that Correia's betrayal was worse than any other business deal because of their personal relationship.
Miller said he lost $70,000 meant for his retirement because he was "blindsided" by the "brazen dishonesty" of a "slick conman" who has shown no remorse.
Andrade's trial date:Jasiel Correia's former chief of staff Gen Andrade will go to trial on Dec. 6, judge says
The government is asking that the SnoOwl investors be repaid as follows:$145,000 to Cabeceiras; $70,000 to Miller; $25,000 to Mark Eisenberg; $25,000 to Victor Martinez; and $33,190 to Carl Garcia.
Because of their criminal association with Correia, the government is not seeking restitution for Camara, who was also an investor, or Costa. Similarly, the marijuana vendors Correia extorted arenot victims under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act due to their participation in the extortion conspiracies.
Co-Conspirator sentenced:Hil Camara, ex-mayor Jasiel Correia's middleman in marijuana shakedown, sentenced
Costa gets no jail time:Jasiel Correia co-conspirator Tony Costa sentenced to 3 years probation
Jasiel Correia's lack of remorse cited
Prosecutors honed in on Correia's lack of remorse, noting that after the trial, Correia told reporters gathered that “there were no facts that were brought forward, there was no overwhelming evidence”and that he would be vindicated when “the real truth” came out and that he falsely stated that he was offered a plea deal but rejected it because he was not guilty. Because he has shown no remorse, prosecutors said "the need for individual deterrence in this case ... is greater than most."
In the months since his conviction, Correia has filed for an appeal and gotten married.
Comparison to other corrupt politicians
Prosecutors included information about the sentences handed down to other elected officials convicted of corruption and fraud. For instance, former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson received a 42-month sentence, but the memorandum noted that Wilkerson accepted responsibility for what she had done. Former Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi received a 96-month sentence for taking $65,000 in bribe money from a Burlington software company, but prosecutors noted thatDiMasi's sentence was based entirely on corruption while Correia was also convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars and cheating the IRS.
Prosecutors also discussed the 15-year prison sentence of former Allentown, Pa., mayor Ed Pawlowski, who used donations to try to buy himself a U.S. Senate seat. While noting that Pawlowski's sentence was on the high end of the federal sentencing guidelines, prosecutors did statethat Correia's case "calls out for substantial general deterrence" because "every public official should recognize that the consequence for engaging in widespread bribery, corruption, and fraud is a lengthy period of imprisonment."
The memorandum also noted that Correia had the benefit of a supportive family, a good education, a well-paying job, so '"there is no justification or explanation – other than greed and hubris – for what he did."
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20.
Lynne Sullivan may be reached at lynne.sullivan@gannett.com. Linda Murphy may be reached at lmurphy@heraldnews.com.Support local journalism and subscribe today!
