By Associated Press - Tuesday, September 17, 2019

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) - The Latest on preliminary election of Jasiel Correia (all times local):

9:40 p.m.

A Massachusetts mayor facing multiple federal corruption charges will be on the November ballot after surviving a preliminary election.



Jasiel Correia was one of the two top vote-getters in Fall River’s preliminary election for mayor Tuesday. He now faces off against school committee member Paul Coogan in the Nov. 5 general election.

The 27-year-old Correia pleaded not guilty this month to charges accusing him of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana companies.

But it’s not clear if Correia will immediately step down.

Correia has steadfastly denied the mounting accusations and refused to resign. He lost a March recall vote, only to be re-elected on the same night. And he simply ignored the city council’s vote to temporarily oust him last week.

___

2:23 p.m.

A Massachusetts mayor facing multiple federal corruption charges is confronting a new challenge - surviving a preliminary election.

Jasiel Correia is on Tuesday’s Fall River mayoral ballot along with Paul Coogan and Erica Scott-Pacheco. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The 27-year-old Correia pleaded not guilty this month to extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana companies. He’s also pleaded not guilty to federal charges he defrauded investors in a smartphone app he was developing.

The city council last week voted to temporarily remove Correia from office, but Correia has refused to leave, saying the council lacks the authority.

Coogan is a two-time school committee member. Scott-Pacheco is a community advocate.

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