The former deputy director of the District’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE), Dana McDaniel, has been sentenced to jail time, house arrest, and probation following her guilty plea in a federal bribery case.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, a federal judge ordered McDaniel to serve 16 weekends in jail, followed by six months of house arrest and 46 months of probation. The sentencing follows her March guilty plea to accepting bribes while serving in a leadership role at ONSE between 2020 and 2023.
According to court filings, McDaniel admitted to accepting at least $10,000 in cash payments in exchange for leveraging her position to steer contracts and grants toward businesses tied to a Maryland resident. Prosecutors revealed that her actions ultimately helped direct $3.4 million in city contracts to those organizations.
In one 2024 incident cited in court documents, McDaniel met with company representatives in a car to discuss repayment terms after they failed to deliver money owed to her under the scheme.
The fallout from the bribery scandal prompted D.C. officials to cut ties with the organizations involved. Councilmember Brooke Pinto confirmed earlier this year that the city no longer allocates government funds to the entities connected to McDaniel’s misconduct.
“These particular allegations deal with contracts that were also associated with the Councilmember White incidents, and we’re no longer working with those community-based organizations,” Pinto said. “They’re no longer receiving government funds. And so the public should have confidence knowing that actions have already been taken to address some of these concerns.”
McDaniel’s sentencing highlights growing scrutiny of public corruption cases within Washington, D.C. government offices.
