ST. CROIX — Before convicted former Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal was sentenced today in District Court on St. Thomas to seven years in prison, those who know her asked a federal judge to show leniency.
District Judge Mark Kearney said today that he received 29 letters of support for O’Neal, however, WTJX only accessed 22 in the public docket. The letters, filed after the court-appointed deadline, painted a picture of a dedicated public servant whose conviction was fundamentally inconsistent with the person they know.
The letters were filed as exhibits to O’Neal’s sentencing memorandum, prepared by attorney Dale Lionel Smith. They came from family members, longtime friends, and professional colleagues. The defense included the letters as part of its argument for a downward departure from federal sentencing guidelines.
O’Neal’s attorney initially sought to keep the letters off the public docket, but Kearney rejected that request Wednesday, ordering Smith to file O’Neal’s sentencing memorandum and support letters publicly, with redactions limited to the street addresses of letter writers. When sentencing began earlier today, the letters were still not uploaded to the public docket. Kearney allowed a break during which time the sentencing memorandum and letters of support were uploaded to the docket by the defense.
READ MORE: Judge Mark Kearney denies Jenifer O’Neal’s late motion to seal sentencing memo and support letters
In the letters, O’Neal’s four children — Jade Daniel, Jafari Daniel, Jhaquoi O’Neal, and Jhakief O’Neal — portrayed their mother as a deeply religious, honest, and selfless public servant whose life has been defined by service to her family, community, and government. They described her as a compassionate mentor and devoted caregiver who consistently put the needs of others ahead of her own while maintaining a reputation for integrity, professionalism, and dedication.
O’Neal’s siblings — Patrecia O’Neal, Maria Edwards, Devon Osborne, Nathalie Benjamin, Reginald O’Neal, Trevor Stevens, and Sheldon Brown — consistently described a woman whose life has been defined by integrity, family responsibility, service, and compassion.
Across the letters, her siblings describe her as honest, trustworthy, dependable, and hardworking, emphasizing that she built her career through dedication, professionalism, and a strong moral compass. Several siblings stress that the conduct underlying her conviction is inconsistent with the person they have known throughout their lives, describing her as someone committed to doing the right thing, accepting responsibility for her actions, and treating others fairly.
Multiple siblings recalled how their sister stepped into a parental role after their mother’s death, helping raise younger brothers, managing household responsibilities, and providing emotional support and guidance. They portrayed her as someone who consistently placed the needs of family members ahead of her own and remained a source of stability and support for those around her.
The letters from O’Neal’s professional circle and friends reinforced the picture drawn by her family members.
Former Senator Clifford Graham, who chaired the Committee on Finance during his time in the Legislature when O’Neal worked at OMB, wrote that he found her to be knowledgeable, diligent, and highly committed to her responsibilities. He noted that her willingness to work collaboratively and her commitment to ensuring that the people of the Virgin Islands were served through responsible fiscal management stood out most to him.
Jean-Pierre Oriol, commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, noted he and O’Neal served together as Cabinet members in the Bryan-Roach administration and sat together on the VI Housing Finance Authority board. As OMB director, he wrote that he witnessed her consistently push the Cabinet to submit project requests that would meaningfully benefit residents. He noted she was equally steadfast in her advocacy while serving as chair of the VIHFA board.
Derek Gabriel, commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works, has known O’Neal for more than 15 years and worked closely with her throughout much of that time in both professional and personal capacities. He described her as a dedicated public servant who approached her responsibilities with seriousness and a genuine desire to improve the lives of Virgin Islanders. He urged the court to consider the entirety of her life, her character, and her contributions to the territory.
Jerain Fleming, a former OMB colleague who eventually became O’Neal’s executive assistant, noted that her former boss made many contributions, including spearheading the launch of the government’s Financial Fellows Program and volunteering as an instructor for portions of the University of the Virgin Islands’ Certified Public Manager program.
Anita Roberts, a friend and former colleague, wrote that she can confidently assert O’Neal would never have intentionally associated herself with the individuals involved in the case. She wrote that O’Neal was “manipulated,” noting she would not throw away everything she worked hard to achieve simply to obtain money for any reason.
Longtime friend Wilbert Smith, who described knowing O’Neal for 12 years, stated that she served the Virgin Islands with integrity and the utmost adherence to the law, and that the events leading to her conviction stand in stark contrast to everything he observed of her over that time.
Hugo Hodge Jr., a friend of about 20 years, described his experience and observation of O’Neal as revealing a professional woman of honesty and integrity, and found the criminal conduct associated with her conviction extremely out of character for the professional he came to know.
Melvin Waits, a certified fraud examiner and third-party fiduciary who worked alongside O’Neal at OMB, attested to multiple instances of what he described as her commitment to honesty and integrity in rooting out fraud during her tenure as OMB director.
Elton Malone, a retired federal law enforcement fraud investigator and former assistant inspector general, described observing O’Neal’s insistence on a high level of integrity and accountability in government operations. He wrote that her focus was consistently on ensuring government programs operated properly and that taxpayer dollars were protected. Malone told the court he found the allegations and ultimately the verdict difficult to reconcile with the professional reputation O’Neal had established over many years.
Sheldon Turnbull, managing partner and general manager of 107.9FM Da Vybe, and a recent gubernatorial aspirant, stated that he found O’Neal to be loyal, true to her word, dedicated, and responsible in all his interactions with her during their friendship of more than 30 years.
Emmet Prevost, a friend who considers O’Neal as his “sister,” described her as a “go-getter” and a tirelessly hard worker, who pushes for the best and encourages those around her to be their best.
Smith drew on the letters collectively to argue that O’Neal’s conduct was so far outside the pattern of her life that it qualified as “aberrant behavior” under a provision of the federal sentencing guidelines manual that can support a downward departure from the otherwise applicable guideline range.
In their memorandum, the defense asked Kearney to impose a sentence of two years of probation or, in the alternative, one year of home confinement with community service. Federal prosecutors, by contrast, recommended a seven-year prison sentence, a $100,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a forfeiture judgment of $17,730.
O’Neal was convicted last December of honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a $1.48 million federally funded contract at the center of a broader public corruption case involving former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez and government vendor David Whitaker, who accepted a plea deal and testified against O’Neal and Martinez as a government witness. The court was not bound by either party’s sentencing recommendations.
In a statement issued after O’Neal’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper said corruption cannot be tolerated.
“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,” he said in a statement. “This sentence provides accountability and serves as a warning for those who would betray that duty.”
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General.
“Public corruption erodes confidence in government and weakens the community’s faith in the institutions meant to protect it,” Carlos Goris, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, said in a statement. “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.”
In addition to her prison term, which will be followed by three years of supervised release, O’Neal must pay a $50,000 fine, restitution in the amount of $34,345.39, jointly and severally with Martinez, and $400 in special assessments. There was also a forfeiture judgment of $17,730. Kearney ordered O’Neal to self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on June 23. Pending her surrender, she will be placed on home detention with an electronic ankle monitor.
