BOSTON (AP) — The former chief of staff to a Massachusetts mayor convicted of federal corruption charges has avoided prison time, federal prosecutors said.
Genoveva Andrade, who worked for former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston to time served, a year of probation, and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.
Under a plea deal, Andrade pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities about her salary kickback arrangement with Correia, prosecutors said.
Soon after Correia hired Andrade in November 2017, she began returning half her salary to the mayor until July 2018 and also kicked back nearly all of a $10,000 city-funded “snow stipend” that Correia approved for Andrade, prosecutors said. She then lied to federal agents in December 2018 questioning her about the arrangement, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors dropped more serious charges of extortion conspiracy, aiding and abetting extortion, and bribery.
Andrade apologized in court, saying she made a “serious mistake” when she got involved in Correia’s political career.
Correia, first elected at 23, was convicted last May on wire fraud and extortion charges and sentenced to six years in prison. He is scheduled to report to prison on April 5.
