Correia shares 'extortion' texts from lawyer, claims poverty; Reddington says fee went up

FALL RIVER — Former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II, asking a federal court in Boston to reduce his prison sentence, has shown the court about a dozen text messages between himself and his attorney Kevin Reddington that Correia claims prove his allegations of ineffective counsel during his 2021 fraud and corruption trial.

Correia shared text messages that he claims show Reddington attempting to extort him for $50,000 and a percentage of an app company Correia owned.

Reddington denies any attorney misconduct. He said Correia's case started as a simple fraud case and became a complicated major corruption and extortion case, requiring additional money to retain his legal services and defend Correia in court.

Tracing Jasiel Correia's fall: From entrepreneur & mayor, to convicted corruption kingpin

In September 2021, Correia was sentenced to six years in federal prison for defrauding investors in the SnoOwl app he invented and extorting owners of cannabis businesses while mayor, taking more than $800,000 and spending it on what prosecutors called a "lavish lifestyle" of trips, meals, jewelry, luxury goods, adult entertainment, and student loan repayments.

After the trial, Correia discharged Reddington and hired a new set of lawyers to appeal his conviction; the U.S. Appeals Court for the First Circuit denied his appeal in November 2022. He is currently serving his sentence at a federal prison in Kentucky.

In Correia's appeal, he did not argue Reddington was ineffective counsel.

In May, now acting as his own attorney, Correia filed a motion seeking “compassionate release” from prison, citing “extraordinary and compelling circumstances,” or facts that were unknown to the court at trial and sentencing.

The statute governing compassionate release is normally granted only for prisoners with poor health or extreme family issues.

Federal prosecutors have opposed Correia's request for early release.

Reddington: Correia's complicated case meant the price of legal services went up

Correia retained Reddington's services in 2018, with Reddington first appearing in court as Correia's defense attorney in October that year.

Reddington said when first he took on Correia as a client, Correia was facing allegations he defrauded investors in his app company SnoOwl and misused $231,000 of their money.

Reddington said this case had "no heavy lifting," and he charged Correia a set fee to defend him.

"Then all of a sudden he was superseded with an indictment charging him with a major marijuana license case, and he didn't have any more money, so I worked with him" to renegotiate a higher fee and continue his legal services, said Reddington.

"It's almost like a client coming to me in a drunk driving case with an auto accident, and I charge them a certain amount of dollars. Then six months down the road, they charge them with motor vehicle homicide," said Reddington. "It's a totally different case. You've got to renegotiate the fee."

Prosecutors: Jasiel Correia 'remains unrepentant,' should serve his full prison sentence

The text messages: Correia claims he and family had 'no money' to pay his lawyer

The text messages Correia included with his motion date from March 23, 26 and 31 and April 1, 2021, a few weeks before the start of what would be Correia's four-week trial in Boston. Correia's motion claims these messages show Reddington attempting to extort his family to provide his legal defense.

According to the text messages, Correia told Reddington in March 2021 that he and his family were "tapped out” financially and could not pay Reddington any more money to continue his legal services.

Reddington says “It’s all you 24/7 now,” and "Let’s kick their ass,” likely referencing federal prosecutors Zachary Hafer and David Tobin.

Reddington says "I have put a lot of thought into the fee situation" to continue providing his legal services through the trial, which he says "would normally be $250K."

Reddington allegedly tells Correia he would instead accept $50,000 and a piece of SnoOwl.

“Get it from wherever. We will negotiate an agreement where I will get a percentage of snoowl. Like 20%. Then we go to war,” reads a text.

In a previous interview with The Herald News, Reddington had denied negotiating for a percentage of SnoOwl's value, saying “20% of nothing is nothing.”

Correia replies via text that he and his family have already spent all they could on his defense, and that he has "no money and no assets."

“We are drained. I’m negative in my account every week,” Correia responds to Reddington. “We are maxed out! Credit gone. Parents maxed out on equity. Cashed in retirement funds. All gone. Living pay check to paycheck.”

In another, Correia indicates that with 30 days before trial he and his family were unable to raise funds “even if I were not to pay any other obligations due to this indictment (personal loans, family friend loans, lines of equity, credit cards).”

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“I know how hard you are working to get this behind me in a positive manner so I am more than willing to come to a satisfactory agreement about the extra compensation in a way that is realistic and possible,” according to a text message from Correia.

"I cannot try this case for a month with a month preparation for no compensation," Reddington allegedly replies. "It's not fair to you or me."

In a message dated March 31, 2021, Reddington appears angry at the prospect of having to spend weeks defending the federal corruption case before a judge in Boston for free. He notes that Correia already paid $300,000 to a previous defense attorney, Boston-based Mark A. Berthiaume of Greenberg Traurig, to "write emails to the [assistant United States attorney] and accomplish nothing," but that "I get the pleasure of trying a major federal case for a month or more and leave my family and have to stay in a hotel ... for zero. How is that fair?" Reddington allegedly writes. "It's a [expletive] month out of my life and practice."

Correia’s submitted text messages include Reddington allegedly telling him that his family “can all enjoy visiting you in Leavenworth for the next thirty years.”

"This really sucks and is not conducive to a strong defense."

In his court filing, Correia noted that he hired a forensic expert to obtain these text messages and would provide a report and affidavit from that expert. Correia did not identify that forensic expert, nor did he provide an affidavit outlining the audit of the phone records.

Reddington: Claim he was unprepared is a 'bold-faced lie'

Among Correia’s arguments for a reduced sentence is his claim that Reddington was purposely ill-prepared for the federal trial.

Correia argues that Reddington refused, despite Correia’s orders, to investigate where the money came from in the bribery scheme with the marijuana businessmen and failed to call witnesses, including co-defendant Gen Andrade who was awaiting trial at the time.

And as to Correia's claim Reddington's lack of trial preparation meant he did not follow through with Correia's intention to take the stand to testify, that's a "bold-faced lie," said Reddington.

During the trial, Judge Douglas Woodlock warned of the unknowns when a defendant testifies on their own behalf. Reddington said Correia was left upset and "shaking."

After Correia conferred with his family, Reddington said, Correia decided on his own not to testify at trial.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Jasiel Correia shares 'extortion' texts from attorney Reddington