Dana McDaniel, a former Deputy Director at the District's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE), has admitted guilt to bribery charges. McDaniel, a 44-year-old resident of Washington D.C., conceded she received at least $10,000 for leveraging her position to benefit another party.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., alongside FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, IRS-Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon, and D.C. Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas. A sentencing date has been set by U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras for August 6, 2025.
Court documents indicate McDaniel's tenure as Deputy Director of ONSE spanned from January 2020 to April 2023. Her responsibilities included overseeing agency programming and community services targeting at-risk communities afflicted by violence in the District. This included involvement in the Violence Intervention (VI) Initiative, a strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in the community.
According to the court documents, McDaniel, from before September 2022 until at least August 2024, received cash payments from a Maryland resident. In return, she directed contracts and grants to two D.C.-based businesses linked to the individual. These businesses portrayed themselves as initiatives supporting high-risk youths and adults and were involved in providing VI services in Ward 5 under ONSE’s VI initiative.
McDaniel could face a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Her final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from IRS-Criminal Investigations and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. Prosecutorial duties are being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross, John Crabb, and Joshua Rothstein.
