Attorney General Gordon C. Ray defends $18.8 million DOJ operating budget; highlights training, case management and staffing gaps

Attorney General Gordon C. Ray told the legislature’s Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance on June 18 that the Department of Justice (DOJ) needs $18,755,216 in general‑fund support for FY2026 and roughly $12.97 million in federal grant funding to operate core legal services, specialty units and compliance programs across the territory.

Ray framed the request around three central problems: persistent attorney vacancies, outdated case‑management systems and the need for specialized investigative and victim‑support capacity. "The Department of Justice's primary goal is to protect the Virgin Islands' citizens and to advance their interests and well‑being," Ray told the committee. He said DOJ had made progress on training and interagency coordination but that vacancies and workload strain remained significant barriers to timely prosecutions and civil work.

Why this matters: DOJ provides most of the territory’s criminal prosecutions, civil counsel to government agencies and several federally funded public‑interest functions (child support enforcement, Medicaid fraud control). Short staffing or systems failures can delay trials, increase incarceration costs and expose the territory to legal and fiscal risk.

Budget snapshot and funding sources - FY2026 general‑fund request: $18,755,216 (personal services $10,375,145; fringe $3,875,684; other services $3,907,843; supplies $302,344; utilities $294,200). - Anticipated federal and program funds for FY2026: approximately $12,967,541, producing a combined operating budget of about $31.7 million. - DOJ reported a current staff census of 163 across general‑fund and federal programs (86 general‑fund staff; 55 federal program staff; 33 vacancies noted at one point in testimony).

Major divisions, priorities and accomplishments - Criminal divisions (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix): Ray and division chiefs described heavy caseloads. The St. Thomas office opened 308 cases during a reporting period and handled hundreds of hearings; St. Croix opened 370 and reduced a pending‑case backlog by 213 cases year‑over‑year. Chiefs emphasized homicide, domestic‑violence and illegal‑firearms prosecutions and a need for more trial attorneys and victim advocates. - Civil division: DOJ handled large, high‑profile matters including land and contract disputes, review of the VIPD consent‑decree sustainment and litigation involving public leases and concession agreements. The civil division reported about 272 active matters. - Paternity and Child Support Division (PCSD): PCSD manages roughly 6,481 cases (3,064 on St. Croix; 3,417 on St. Thomas), with 66 percent of its funding provided by federal sources. PCSD is upgrading the C‑STARS system (child‑support case management) and seeking federal funds to complete that modernization. - Special Investigations Division (SID) and White‑Collar Unit: DOJ said it is expanding coordination with VIPD and federal partners for digital forensics and complex investigations; DOJ requested training and tools for digital evidence and financial‑crime analyses. - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU): Federally funded unit investigating provider fraud and patient abuse; DOJ said it expects a significant settlement in multi‑jurisdiction litigation and is seeking additional local match funding to sustain MFCU capacity. - Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE): DOJ and the Casino Control Commission said DGE is understaffed for current casino oversight and requested a reallocation of casino revenue funds to sustain investigators. - Office of the Medical Examiner (MEO): DOJ described difficulties in St. Croix (no operational morgue on the island, bodies transported to St. Thomas), progress on a modular morgue installation and continuing need for staffing and site readiness. - SORNA (sex‑offender registry): DOJ said the registry has 128 registered offenders, with (at the time) a single territory SORNA agent based in St. Croix; the office requested additional agents to meet 24‑hour compliance and apprehension timelines across islands.

Systems, training and interagency work Ray described progress in training (a National Association of Attorneys General team provided intensive trial training) and a near‑final contract with Journal Technologies to implement a modern case‑management system that will integrate with VIPD data and body‑camera material. He said DOJ is coordinating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, VIPD, the Department of Health and other stakeholders on competency restoration, mental‑health pathways, and victim notification technology (VINE) to improve witness and victim services.

Questions and requested follow‑ups Lawmakers pressed DOJ about vendor payments, staffing numbers, vacancy lists, the status of the modular morgue, use of ARPA funds that had been proposed for staffing (the hearing record shows a requested ARPA award was reduced/deobligated), and specific outcomes on cases and plea agreements. Senators asked for additional documentation: vacancy rosters and PRF status, a breakdown of contract review throughput in the solicitor‑general’s office, PCSD C‑STARS upgrade timeline and federal‑match details, and the status of the SORNA staffing plan.

Ending Ray said DOJ would provide follow‑up documents and work with OMB and the Legislature on earmarked funds and implementation details. Senators signaled both support for key investments (case management, digital forensics, victim services) and a need for detailed line‑item evidence before approving additional appropriation authority.