An indictment was revealed today, charging Ray Martinez, the former police commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, and Jenifer O’Neal, the former director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget, with involvement in a bribery and money laundering conspiracy. Both appeared in court today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Court documents indicate that Martinez, 56, and O’Neal, 53, both residents of St. Thomas, accepted bribes from a government contractor named David Whitaker. The indictment states that this scheme started in November 2022 and lasted until June 2024. O’Neal allegedly joined by January 2024. The two are accused of laundering money from the bribes through transactions to pay rent on O’Neal’s coffee shop. In return for these bribes, Martinez and O’Neal reportedly agreed to approve inflated invoices and help secure payments for Whitaker from the Virgin Islands government. Additionally, Martinez allegedly helped Whitaker secure a $1.48 million contract with the VIPD in October 2023. After the investigation became public knowledge, Martinez is said to have obstructed justice by urging Whitaker to destroy evidence related to his criminal activities and submitted falsified documents under subpoena.

Both defendants face charges including five counts of honest services wire fraud (each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years), one count of federal program bribery (maximum penalty of 10 years), and one count of money laundering conspiracy (maximum penalty of 20 years). Martinez faces additional charges with two counts of obstruction of justice (each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years). Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

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 FBI San Juan Field Office's St. Thomas Resident Agency is handling the investigation.

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 should be noted that an indictment is only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.