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Brian Bakst

Prosecutors seek prison time for former nonprofit head

Bill Davis
File photo of Community Action of Minneapolis CEO Bill Davis ushering the media out of their office during a raid by state officials on Sept. 26, 2014
Leila Navidi | The Star Tribune via AP 2014

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Updated: 5:20 p.m. | Posted: 3:51 p.m.

Federal prosecutors asked Friday for a nearly six-year prison sentence for former Minneapolis nonprofit leader Bill Davis, who argued that he should only spend a year behind bars for a conviction in a fraud scheme.

In papers filed by the U.S. Attorney's office ahead of the Jan. 19 sentencing, prosecutors said the extent of his embezzlement from Community Action of Minneapolis and Davis' attempts to cover it up demand a stiff sentence.

"Over the course of eight years, William Davis stole and conspired with his son to steal over $450,000 from Community Action of Minneapolis — money that should have been used to provide heating, energy assistance and family services to low-income people in Minneapolis," prosecutor Kimberly Svendsen wrote.

"Instead, Davis used his position to wine and dine girlfriends in two different countries, to pay for travel for himself and family members and to buy things he wanted because he felt he was entitled to do it and he knew no one would stop him."

Prosecutors asked that Davis be imprisoned for 71 months and contribute toward $450,000 in restitution along with his son. Davis pleaded guilty last year to 16 fraud and theft charges. His son, former Minneapolis police officer Jordan Davis, was convicted on related charges and also awaits sentencing later this month.

The elder Davis ran the nonprofit for 24 years. Its mission was to assist low-income residents with essential services, such as home heating bills. The nonprofit closed after the fraud scheme involving public grant dollars was exposed.

Attorneys for Davis wrote that he should get one year and one day in prison. Their filing asks that he get send to the federal penitentiary in Duluth.

"Mr. Davis fully acknowledges the seriousness of his conduct and is remorseful of his actions," they wrote in a brief filed Friday.

"He will continue to bear the consequences of his actions as a convicted felon, particularly in his inability to continue his work in the non-profit sector and political activism, regardless of the sentence imposed by this court."

They also said he shouldn't be responsible for the amount of restitution sought by the government, in part because an insurance company has covered $250,000 in the nonprofit's losses.

Davis entered his guilty plea before he was due to go on trial. He didn't negotiate a sentence with prosecutors in advance.