Ex director of US Virgin Islands legislature sent to prison for 5 years in corruption case
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, Virgin Islands _ A former official with the legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands has been sentenced to prison in a corruption case.
Louis “Lolo” Willis was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez in St. Thomas. A jury convicted Willis of bribery and extortion in November.
Willis was executive director of the legislature from 2009-2012. The position gave him oversight over the renovation of the legislature’s building. Federal prosecutors said he accepted bribes totalling at least $13,000 to help contractors secure $350,000 in work on the project.
The 57-year-old Willis denied wrongdoing. At his trial, his lawyer argued that he had approved contracts without the required review to complete the renovation more efficiently.
www.l1.yimg.com
Alwin Marshall-Squire is the Editor-in-Chief of S-Q Publications Inc., overseeing editorial strategy for GTA Weekly, GTA Today, and Vision Newspaper. He leads the publications’ mission to deliver bold, original journalism focused on the people and communities of the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the global Caribbean diaspora.
Also writes for GTA Weekly and GTA Today.
