St. Thomas, VI –United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Jenifer O’Neal, former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget (OMB), was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mark A.
Kearney to 84 months’ imprisonment for her role in a public corruption scheme involving the misuse of federal COVID-19 relief funds.In addition to the term of imprisonment, O’Neal was sentenced to three years of supervised release; a $50,000 fine; restitution in the amount of $34,345.39, jointly and severally with co-defendant Ray Martinez; forfeiture in the amount of $17,730; and $400 in special assessments. Judge Kearney ordered O’Neal to self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on June 23, 2026. Pending her surrender, O’Neal will be placed on home detention.On December 11, 2025, following a jury trial, O’Neal was convicted of two counts of Honest Services Wire Fraud, one count of Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy. The evidence at trial established that O’Neal used her position as Director of OMB to facilitate the approval and payment of a government invoice that had been intentionally inflated by $70,000.
She accepted $17,730 derived from the inflated invoice to satisfy lease obligations associated with her coffee shop, Java Grande. The inflated invoice was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal program intended to assist the Virgin Islands in recovering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. O’Neal also accepted luxury gifts from government contractor David Whitaker, in exchange for the expedited payment of government contract invoices.Co-defendant Ray Martinez, the former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, was previously sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for his role in the scheme.“Corruption cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Adam Sleeper. “Government officials, especially those directly responsible for government finances, have a duty to safeguard the funds entrusted to them for the benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands.
This sentence provides accountability and serves as a warning for those who would betray that duty.”“Public corruption erodes confidence in government and weakens the community’s faith in the institutions meant to protect it,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Imposing consequences on corrupt public officials, is vital to rebuilding public trust and is a testament to the FBI’s commitment safeguarding the integrity of public institutions.”The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General.The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Amaro of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.