A Democratic mayor from Massachusetts is refusing to step down after he was arrested last week on suspicion of fraud and tax charges.
Mayor Jasiel Correia said he would not resign or let his “enemies” force him out of his position with the “politically motivated” arrest.
“I am presumed innocent until proven otherwise,” Correia told reporters at a press conference, Fox News reported. “I will not allow political enemies to remove me from office.”
Correia said the attacks against him started shortly after he took office because he was “challenging the norms” in Fall River, Mass.
Correia was elected as city councilman in 2013 when he was 23 years old, was elected mayor in 2015, and easily won re-election.
The mayor is accused by federal prosecutors of stealing $231,447 from investors to fund his lifestyle, including spending the money on designer clothes, a Mercedes-Benz, jewelry, travel, credit card and student loan payments, casinos, adult entertainment, and his campaign.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“I will not resign,” Correia said, adding that he would continue to “humbly” serve as mayor and fight the charges against him.
Fall River’s nine-member City Council held a meeting Tuesday to discuss the indictment against the mayor.
Correia’s lawyer threatened legal action against the council if they removed him from office, a power the council says it does not hold since he is an elected official who has not been convicted of a crime.
“If he truly loves Fall River, he should step down,” Council President Cliff Ponte said.
According to the Boston Herald, Correia had seven investors put forward a total of $363,690 towards developing an app called SnoOwl, which would connect businesses with customers.
