Charlemagne trial delayed to February over fairness concerns

Davidson and Sasha Charlemagne will not face trial until February 2027, after District Judge Mark Kearney postponed their case on Tuesday.

The couple's trial had been scheduled to begin the following week. Kearney cited multiple grounds for the delay, including disputes over evidence and calendar conflicts. Without pushing back the date, the judge wrote, the defence would lack sufficient time to mount a proper case, and the proceedings risked becoming "impossible or result in a miscarriage of justice."

Jury selection has been rescheduled for February 8, 2027.

Federal prosecutors contend that the Charlemagnes orchestrated a scheme to extract over $3 million in federal funds. The money related to lumber stockpiled at school facilities for use in disaster recovery work. Davidson Charlemagne held the position of maintenance director within the Education Department and oversaw those school sites, court documents show.

The Charlemagnes were indicted in 2024 alongside Darin Richardson, who served as chief operating officer of the V.I. Housing Finance Authority. Richardson's proceedings were handled separately. He went to trial in 2025 and was found guilty of federal offences spanning false statements, money laundering, and bank fraud. A judge sentenced Richardson to three years in prison in March, though he remains free while his appeal is pending.