DC Councilman Arrested on Bribery Charges

Another day, another corrupt politician gets taken down for bribery.

This time, it is D.C. Council member Trayon White Sr., who was allegedly accepting bribes to the tune of more than $150,000.

White was arrested and charged on Sunday.

Taking That Money

According to the complaint, White allegedly accepted $156,000 to influence contracts with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services.

White, who is only 40 years old, appeared in court on Monday after being taken into custody on Sunday, and has largely avoided making any statements.

He did not enter a plea during the hearing.

If he is convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of 15 years.

He has been released, but he had to surrender his passport as well as any weapons that he currently owns.

He must also notify the court if he has any travel plans outside the local area.

Finally, he must avoid all contact with any potential witnesses in the case.

White was serving as the chairman of the D.C. Council’s committee on Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs, which oversees several agencies, including the city’s Youth Rehabilitation Services Department.

According to the complaint, the contracts in question totaled $5.2 million, and the owner of the companies that would have benefited from the arrangement was caught on video working out the arrangement with White.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves stated, “Because the investigation into the alleged bribery scheme involved contracts that could soon be awarded and other potential official acts that could be taken, our Office took swift steps to address the alleged crimes we were investigating.”

White is set to return to court on September 19 for a status hearing.

His camp has not returned any requests for comment on the matter as of the writing of this report.