ST. THOMAS — Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to sentence former Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White to over a decade in prison, arguing that his abuse of public office and his leadership role in a bribery scheme warrants a lengthy custodial sentence.
“As a longstanding public servant, the defendant, perhaps more than anyone, knew that public service is a public trust, and that an official in such a prominent and sensitive position must always place loyalty to the Constitution, local and federal laws, and core principles of ethical conduct above personal interests and private gain,” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed today.
In that memorandum, prosecutors recommended 12 years and seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for White’s role in steering a government contract in exchange for bribe payments.
“Anything less would not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense, or adequately deter others from engaging in similar schemes,” the memorandum stated.
White was convicted alongside government contractor Benjamin Hendricks last July on charges of honest services wire fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds after a five-day jury trial. Prosecutors said White solicited and accepted a bribe in exchange for helping former government contractor David Whitaker and his company Mon Ethos Pro Support secure a contract, using Hendricks, owner of A Clean Environment USVI LLC, as an intermediary for the scheme.
In a separate sentencing memorandum also filed today, prosecutors recommended a sentence of nine years for Hendricks, followed by three years of supervised release, arguing that he played a critical role in the public corruption scheme.
“His willingness to help White betray his duty to the people of the Virgin Islands came not from any personal difficulty, but rather his own greed and selfishness,” the memorandum stated.
According to the memorandums, the sentences recommended for both White and Hendricks fall at the low end of the applicable guideline range.
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In their sentencing memorandum for White, prosecutors further argued that a significant prison sentence is necessary to deter other public officials and reinforce that white-collar corruption carries serious consequences.
“Given the difficulty in detecting public corruption, anything less than a guideline sentence in this case could easily lead other public officials to believe that the potential benefits of corruption outweigh the costs,” the memorandum stated.
The memorandum also noted that, when confronted by federal investigators, White’s “immediate reaction was to lie, conceal, and obfuscate,” falsely claiming that he had recused himself from the bidding process and denying that he received any bribe payments or participated in evaluation committee discussions.
White and Hendricks are both scheduled to be sentenced in separate proceedings on January 22 by Judge Mark Kearney, who presided over their trial. If Kearney follows these recommendations, White would not be released from prison until August 2038, and Hendricks would be released in January 2035.
