An indictment was unsealed today against Ray Martinez, former police commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, and Jenifer O’Neal, former director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget. They are charged with participating in a bribery and money laundering conspiracy. Both appeared in court today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Court documents state that Martinez, 56, and O’Neal, 53, both from St. Thomas, accepted bribes from David Whitaker, a government contractor at the time. The alleged scheme started in November 2022 and continued until June 2024. O’Neal reportedly joined by January 2024. The indictment claims they laundered proceeds from the bribery to pay rent on O’Neal’s coffee shop. In return for these bribes, Martinez and O’Neal allegedly approved inflated invoices and assisted Whitaker in obtaining payments from the Virgin Islands government.
Martinez is also accused of helping Whitaker secure a $1.48 million contract with the VIPD in October 2023. Furthermore, after the investigation became public knowledge, Martinez allegedly obstructed justice by urging Whitaker to destroy evidence related to his criminal activities and produced falsified documents when subpoenaed.
Both defendants face five counts of honest services wire fraud (each carrying up to 20 years imprisonment), one count of federal program bribery (up to 10 years), and one count of money laundering conspiracy (up to 20 years). Additionally, Martinez faces two counts of obstruction of justice (each carrying up to 20 years). Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez from the FBI San Juan Field Office.
The case is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Field Office's St. Thomas Resident Agency.
Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew from the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting this case.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.