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.

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