Former police officer Andre Hector has alleged he was forced to give false evidence in order to keep his job as a security officer with Jeffrey Prosser's Innovative Communication Corp.
According to Saturday's V.I. Independent, Hector, in a lawsuit filed against ICC, also charged that:
— ICC used government employees and property for security at a New Year's Eve millennium bash.
— ICC hired Sen. Adelbert M. Bryan's daughter as a $65,000-a-year security guard while the Senate was considering the so-called Prosser bill to give Prosser's companies huge tax breaks in exchange for land. Bryan voted for the bill.
— Hector was told he would be paid by Prosser's V.I. Telephone Corp., a regulated public utility that has near-total tax breaks, for work he did for ICC and EmCom.
— ICC's security guards provided security for Roy L. Schneider while he was still governor.
Hector's suit alleges that after an incident on July 3, 1998, where ICC security guards strong-armed Sen. Bryan at an Emancipation Day celebration, ICC's New York attorney, Carl Hartman, directed him to "provide a false statement" about the incident or lose his job.
Hector, who had worked as a police officer for six years, said he was recruited to provide security for Prosser's family by Oakland Benta, head of security for ICC and Emerging Communications. Hector was offered a salary of $50,000 a year, which was quickly increased after he was promoted to "supervisor of the security department."
In a related story, the Independent reported that ICC hired Byran's daughter, Andrea McIntosh, at a salary of $65,000 — far more than other guards made — at the same time that Prosser's company was negotiating with the government for millions, perhaps even billions, of dollars in tax breaks –– a move Bryan supported. The bill, which would have traded 1,000 acres at Carambola on St. Croix for 30 years of tax breaks for 10 ICC companies, was vetoed by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull after it squeaked through the Senate on an 8-7 vote.
ICC attorney Kevin Rames told the Source, "We reject (Hector's) allegations outright."
Calling Hector a disgruntled former employee, Rames said, "This type of scurrilous pleadings is typical of the unprofessional pleadings that all too customarily emanate out of the law offices of Lee J. Rohn. The defendants fully anticipate that if this matter is ever tried, they will be fully vindicated."
When asked why Hector was fired from ICC, Rames would only say, "for unspecified violations of company policy."
Rohn, who is representing Hector, said he has never been told why he was fired.
Hector's suit charges ICC, Emerging Communications and Vitelco with breach of contract, wrongful discharge, discrimination, fraud, defamation and slander.
Rohn told the Independent her client is unable to return to his old job at the Police Department at his previous rank. He would have to return as a "rookie," according to Rohn. In fact, due to a hiring freeze, Rohn said it is unlikely Hector could return at all.
"Jeffrey Prosser can't just hire people away from other jobs, use them, then spit them out without paying them," Rohn said.
The suit also alleges that ICC withdrew money illegally from Hector's Banco Popular account. Hector worked for ICC from April 1998 until he was fired Feb. 4.
