The ex-chief of staff to a former Massachusetts mayor has pleaded guilty to extortion, bribery and other charges in a federal public corruption case.
WPRI-TV reports Genoveva Andrade changed her plea to guilty on Monday during a court hearing conducted remotely in the case against former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II.
The station said the plea deal reached with prosecutors would allow her to avoid prison time if approved by a federal judge.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock said he’d take the agreement under consideration. Andrade, 49, of Somerset, will be sentenced in April.
Correia’s trial had been slated to start in February, but has been pushed back several times because of the pandemic.
Prosecutors allege Correia extorted $600,000 from marijuana vendors seeking to do business in the city, and bilked nearly $300,000 from investors in his smartphone app company.
Andrade is facing six counts for allegedly aiding Correia in the marijuana scheme. Prosecutors say Andrade also agreed to kick back to Correia half her salary in order to retain her job.
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Both had repeatedly denied the allegations, saying they were politically motivated.
