Washington DC Council Member White Tray has been in the spotlight locally since the FBI arrested him on Sunday (August 18). The Ward 8 representative is facing charges of accepting tens of thousands in bribes and kickbacks, According to The Washington Post.
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Police handcuffed Trayon White at his luxury apartment in the Navy Yard in Southeast D.C. White spent the night in jail before police released him on Monday. He had appeared in U.S. District Court earlier on bribery charges.
D.C. Councilman Trayon White in federal court after being charged with bribery. The FBI claims he accepted $156,000 in cash to direct the county to extend contracts to two companies. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. Court photo credit: Bill Hennesy photo.twitter.com/9PER3BF0Pm
— Scott Taylor: 7 News – WJLA TV (@ScottTaylorTV) August 19, 2024
Judge G. Michael Harvey reportedly ordered Trayon to surrender his passport and any weapons but ultimately released him pending trial.
He currently serves on the Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs Committee, which oversees decisions like the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and ONSE. The D.C. Department of Human Resources database reportedly lists White’s annual salary as $167,037.
Here’s Why the FBI Reportedly Arrested Trayon White
In addition to being a current Washington DC Council member, White is also favored to win the local election in November. If he wins, this will be his third term.
Now, the FBI is accusing him of taking money in exchange for pressuring government employees to extend contracts to help at-risk youth and adults in the city. White is said to have used some of that money, including envelopes stuffed with cash, to take vacations to places like Las Vegas and the Dominican Republic.
Prosecutors said Trayon White has received $156,000 in “commissions and cash” since June 2024, according to an affidavit reviewed by The Washington Post. The exact transactions and contractors involved have not been disclosed. However, one company is described in the affidavit as “a community-based initiative to serve at-risk youth and adults across D.C. and Maryland.” The contract extension is said to be for alleged violence intervention services in D.C.
Additionally, the newspaper reported that the money was a payment by Trayon to pressure decision-makers at the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and the Office of Neighborhoods, Safety and Engagement to renew the contract.
White’s arrest affidavit cites photos and text messages of the 40-year-old accepting bribes from an informant. One of the most recent transactions occurred inside the informant’s car on Aug. 9, 2024. On that day, Trayon accepted an envelope with $5,000 inside, according to TWP.
Below is a photo of the court document (via @tomsherwood) appears to show Trayon White, a DC council member up for re-election in District 8, accepting an envelope filled with cash. If convicted, White faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both (in addition to three years of probation). pic.twitter.com/oj1Rk8uwfM
— DMV News Live (@DCNewsLive) August 19, 2024
Earlier, on July 17, he updated the informant on his efforts to secure $5.2 million in DC “funding” for the informant’s companies. Another transaction with the information allegedly resulted in the exchange of $15,000. Additionally, Trayon White allegedly agreed to accept a three percent commission on the total contract value.
Overall, affidavit added that White received a total of $35,000 on June 26, July 17 and 25, and August 9.
Image of #WhiteTray received cash from an undercover FBI agent on four separate occasions totaling $35,000 and accepted a 3% clause on payments on major federal contracts #dc #SEDC #Bribery #Tray #D.C. Council photo.twitter.com/9mk0kH1rlu
— TMD Enterprises (@tmdenterprises) August 19, 2024
DC Mayor Reacts to Trayon’s Arrest
Mayor Muriel E. Bowser told reporters on Monday (Aug. 19) that the FBI’s findings were “very disappointing.”
“I’m sure voters across the city, especially in Ward 8, are frustrated. People need representation,” Mayor Bowser said. “They need people to come to the Wilson Building and put them first, fight for them, and I know I speak for them in my frustration about that.”
In an affidavit, U.S. Attorney Graves explained why police arrested White on Sunday.
They claimed that “this bribery scheme involved contracts that could soon be awarded” and posed a risk of “other potential official conduct”.
If convicted of bribery, the D.C. councilman faces up to 15 years in prison, according to The Washington Post. He declined to comment to reporters as he left the courthouse on Monday. His next hearing is scheduled for September 19.
Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White made no comment as he left the courthouse and was escorted into a waiting vehicle. He was released on conditional release. He is due back in court on September 19. White’s attorney also had no comment. pic.twitter.com/jgIubzrh6Y
— Paul Wagner (@paulcwagner) August 19, 2024
This is a developing story.
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