Former Virgin Islands Officials Sentenced for Bribery Scheme
Ray Martinez, the former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), and Jenifer O’Neal, the former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget (OMB), have been sentenced for their involvement in a bribery and money laundering scheme. Martinez received a 10-year prison sentence with three years of supervised release, while O’Neal was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Details of the Bribery Scheme
According to court documents and trial evidence, Martinez accepted nearly $100,000 in bribes from government contractor David Whitaker. These bribes included cash payments and coverage of personal expenses such as luxury travel, private-school tuition, and restaurant equipment. In return, Martinez used his official position to approve Whitaker's invoices and awarded his company a $1.4 million contract funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
O’Neal, as the territory’s chief budget official, knowingly approved a $70,000 inflated invoice under the same contract. She later accepted a $17,730 lease payment for her business, Java Grande, using federal funds from the inflated invoice.
Obstruction of Justice
Evidence also revealed that after becoming aware of the federal investigation, Martinez attempted to obstruct justice by instructing Whitaker to destroy evidence and by creating a fraudulent promissory note to conceal the bribes.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
The case was investigated by the FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency, with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris of the FBI San Juan Field Office led the investigation.
Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherrisse Amaro for the District of the Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.
These sentences underscore the commitment of federal authorities to hold public officials accountable for corruption and to maintain the integrity of public institutions.
For more information, refer to the official press release from the United States Department of Justice.
