ST. CROIX — A key government witness who testified in two corruption cases involving former Virgin Islands officials after accepting a plea deal in his own fraud case is now asking the court to continue his sentencing by one day, so it occurs after one of the defendants he testified against, according to a court filing.
David Whitaker, the founder of Mon Ethos Pro Support and a cybersecurity contractor who pleaded guilty to bribery and wire fraud charges, filed a motion Tuesday in the District Court of the Virgin Islands.
The motion, submitted by attorney David Cattie, requested that Whitaker’s June 10 sentencing be continued until after the June 11 sentencing of former Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal, or alternatively to swap Whitaker’s sentencing date with hers. Cattie argued that because his client testified on behalf of the United States against both O’Neal and former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez, Whitaker should be sentenced only after both of those defendants.
Martinez and O’Neal were convicted on December 11, 2025, on federal bribery and wire fraud charges stemming from a scheme in which prosecutors said they accepted benefits from Whitaker in exchange for facilitating payments and government contracts.
Under the current schedule, Martinez is set for sentencing on June 9, Whitaker on June 10, and O’Neal on June 11. Cattie noted that the government does not object to the request.
“Mr. Whitaker should be sentenced after both those defendants so that he can argue for and obtain the full benefit of his bargain with the United States,” the motion states.
In March 2024, Whitaker accepted a plea agreement after federal prosecutors outlined an extraordinary set of allegations: that he had planted a dozen hidden surveillance cameras in Virgin Islands government offices, bribed a Virgin Islands Police Department agent to secure contracts, and attempted to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
READ MORE: David Whitaker accepts plea deal after planting spy cameras in VI gov’t offices, bribing VIPD agent
Whitaker pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the bribery count carries a maximum of 10 years. All three counts include fines of up to $250,000, restitution, and a three-year term of supervised release.
The scheme unfolded over nearly a year, from June 2022 to May 2023, when the VIPD hired Whitaker to investigate allegations of covert listening devices being placed in government offices. After a spy camera was discovered in one office, Whitaker claimed to uncover additional devices hidden elsewhere — devices that, according to prosecutors, he had planted himself. He then billed the government more than $100,000 to remove them. Because the payments were wired through New York to his bank account in Puerto Rico, he faced federal wire fraud charges.
Whitaker later testified at trial that Martinez had directed him to plant 12 of the 13 devices, which were never activated.
Separately, Whitaker admitted to submitting a fraudulent Second Draw Borrower Application in February 2021 on behalf of Mon Ethos, seeking nearly $470,000 in PPP funds. The application contained false information about wages, compensation, and tax payments, and was transmitted from the Virgin Islands through Small Business Administration servers in Oregon.
Whitaker’s sentencing was previously continued.
READ MORE: Judge grants David Whitaker’s unopposed motion to delay sentencing in bribery case by five months
In late 2025, a judge granted Whitaker’s motion to continue sentencing by five months, moving it from January 21 to June 10. That earlier delay was sought for several reasons, including to allow Whitaker’s sentencing to follow that of former Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White and government contractor Benjamin Hendricks. Whitaker also sought to delay his sentencing at that time to give him the opportunity to first testify in the Martinez and O’Neal trial.
White and Hendricks, owner of A Clean Environment USVI LLC, were both found guilty on July 25, 2025, of honest services wire fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds after a five-day jury trial. White solicited and accepted a $16,000 bribe from Whitaker in exchange for helping Whitaker secure a $1.43 million contract to install surveillance cameras in public parks while using Hendricks as an intermediary for the scheme. White was sentenced to five years in prison, while Hendricks was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison.
Whitaker’s cooperation as a government witness also extended to the trial involving Martinez and O’Neal.
Martinez, who resigned as Police Commissioner in June 2024, was convicted of accepting at least $110,358 in bribes from Whitaker. Trial evidence showed the payments took numerous forms, including equipment and labor for his restaurant, Don Felito's Cookshop; flights and hotel rooms in Boston; private school tuition payments for his two sons; rent payments for his home; expensive meals; and tickets to sporting events. Prosecutors said Martinez directed VIPD officials to authorize payments for Whitaker’s companies and steered a sole-source contract to Whitaker that was funded in part through American Rescue Plan Act money.
O’Neal, who also resigned in June 2024, was convicted in connection with accepting at least $17,730 in bribes from Whitaker. Evidence presented at trial showed Whitaker paid her restaurant lease directly to the landlord to conceal the arrangement. Prosecutors said O’Neal authorized and directed payments of invoices submitted by Whitaker through the Office of Management and Budget.
U.S. District Judge Mark Kearney will ultimately decide whether to adjust the sentencing schedule.
