Prosecutors Seek 12 Years for Calvert White
Federal prosecutors have asked for a 151-month sentence for former DPSR commissioner Calvert White after his conviction on honest-services wire fraud and bribery charges tied to a $2.1 million security camera contract. White’s defense seeks 21 to 27 months, arguing prosecutors overstated loss calculations and that he did not accept responsibility is a key aggravating factor.
District Court judge to sentence former DPSR commissioner Calvert White to 151 months — just over 12.5 years — after his conviction on honest-services wire fraud and bribery charges related to a $2.1 million contract for security cameras. White was convicted last July alongside co-defendant Benjamin Hendricks for corruptly steering a Department of Public Services and Resources (DPSR) procurement to Mon Ethos, a company owned by government witness David Whitaker.
Prosecutors allege White, Hendricks and Whitaker coordinated a bribe payment routed from Whitaker to White through Hendricks so that Mon Ethos would win the contract. According to prosecutors, the men agreed on a $16,000 kickback; Whitaker transferred $5,000 — just over a quarter of that amount — to Hendricks.
Prosecutors say White then met with Whitaker to provide “confidential bid information” about other bidders, assisted Mon Ethos during the evaluation process either directly or through Hendricks, and ultimately selected the company as the contract winner. Prosecutors further allege White deposited the $5,000 into his personal bank account.
Prosecutors argue White lied to investigators during their probe, claiming he had recused himself from the bidding process and denying receipt of the payment. Citing sentencing guidelines, they say a sentence “at the low end of Offense Level 34” is appropriate to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to deter similar conduct, and to punish what they called an “abuse of his position of trust.” In filings, they emphasised White’s long public service and said his actions reflected greed rather than need, calling for a “significant custodial sentence.” Defense counsel Clive Rivers is urging a far shorter term — between 21 and 27 months.
Rivers contends prosecutors overstated the loss amount used to calculate White’s offense level, noting the agreed bribe was not paid in full and arguing the contract’s status is disputed. The defense also disputes an enhancement that hinges on whether White controlled Hendricks in a supervisory role.
Prosecutors have recommended a 108-month sentence for Hendricks and proposed three years of supervised release for both men following incarceration. A sentencing recommendation from Hendricks’ attorney had not been filed as of press time. While this case arises in the neighbouring U.S.
Virgin Islands federal system, its themes — public procurement integrity and accountability for public officials — resonate across the region. BVI residents and officials monitoring procurement practices may see this as a reminder of the consequences of corruption and the need for transparent processes.
The reporting here is based on court filings and coverage by Virgin Islands News Online.
Primary source: VINO