Ray Martinez and Jenifer O'Neal

Ray Martinez, former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, and Jenifer O’Neal, former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget, were convicted in a federal corruption scheme involving a government contractor, David Whitaker. On December 11, 2025, a federal jury found both guilty on all counts, including honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Martinez was also convicted of two counts of obstruction of justice. Evidence showed Martinez accepted nearly $100,000 in bribes—including cash, luxury travel, and restaurant equipment—in exchange for approving invoices and a $1.4 million contract for Whitaker. O’Neal approved a $70,000 inflated invoice, using $17,730 of those funds for her business, Java Grande. After learning of the investigation, Martinez attempted to obstruct justice by ordering the destruction of evidence and creating a fraudulent promissory note. In June 2026, Martinez was sentenced to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and fines. O’Neal was sentenced to seven years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and fines. Post-trial motions for acquittal or new trials were denied.