FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts mayor facing federal charges says he will not resign from office, setting the stage for a recall election.
The Fall River City Council had given Mayor Jasiel Correia until 5 p.m. Wednesday to decide if would leave office on his own. In a letter shared on social media, Correia said it was up to the "people of our city" to answer the question of whether he should continue serving.
Correia, who was only 23 when first elected mayor in 2015, pleaded not guilty in October to federal tax and wire fraud charges. Prosecutors allege he used investments in a company he formed as his "own personal ATM" to enjoy a lavish lifestyle and pay student loan debt.
Organizers collected more than 4,500 signatures seeking a recall election.
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