BOSTON — The federal government opposed former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II’s request for early release from prison in a motion filed in federal court last week. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tobin and Dustin Chao pulled no punches in their filing, even referring to the classic movie "The Maltese Falcon." 

Correia, who is serving a six-year prison sentence in FCI Ashland in Kentucky, filed a request first with the prison warden. After getting no response within 30 days from the Bureau of Prisons, he submitted to the federal court last month a motion seeking “compassionate release,” and citing “extraordinary and compelling circumstances,” facts that were unknown to the court at trial and sentencing. 

In an 18-day trial in May 2021, a federal jury found Correia guilty of nine counts of wire fraud, four counts of extortion conspiracy, four counts of extortion and four counts of tax fraud. Correia defrauded several investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a now-defunct smartphone app he helped created, SnoOwl, and as mayor demanded bribes from marijuana vendors in exchange for letters of non-opposition. Prosecutors said Correia used the money to fund a "lavish lifestyle," spending it on cars, luxury items, expensive travel, student loan repayments and more.  

Read more from Jo C. Goode at herealdnews.com.