Governor Daniel Pruce has issued a formal Deportation Order for Vincentian national Earlando Earlan Baynes, a former officer of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.
This executive action follows Mr. Baynes’ criminal conviction for Breach of Trust, an offense arising from a significant compromise of sensitive police information. Under the order signed by His Excellency on January 29, 2026, Mr. Baynes—who is a non-belonger to the Territory—is mandated for removal from the Virgin Islands.
This executive mandate ensures that criminal accountability is followed by the swift administrative removal of those who violate the sanctity of our public institutions.
The integrity of law enforcement remains the cornerstone of national security in the Virgin Islands. The deportation of Mr. Baynes follows a significant security breach that occurred in November 2024 during a planned police operation.
The unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information by Mr. Baynes compromised the success of that operation and raised fundamental concerns regarding the internal protocols of the RVIPF.
Following an intensive investigation, Mr. Baynes was charged in January 2025. The resulting judicial proceedings led to a conviction for Breach of Trust, confirming the criminal nature of his conduct and providing the legal basis for his removal.
The Governor’s authority to issue this mandate is grounded in Section 40(1)(b) and (c) of the Immigration and Passport Act (Revised Edition 2013). This legislation empowers the Governor to order the removal of any non-belonger who has been convicted of an offense punishable by three months or more in prison, or whose presence is deemed “undesirable and not conducive to the public good.”
The Deportation Order, signed on January 29, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette on February 3, 2026, was issued after Governor Pruce consulted with the Chief Immigration Officer. The order requires Mr. Baynes to depart the Territory within seven days of service. Per the mandate, he may be detained until he can be placed on the first available vessel or aircraft leaving the Virgin Islands. While the subject maintains a right to a written appeal to the Governor within this seven-day window, the government remains prepared to enforce the removal to uphold the security standards of the Territory.
Acting in consultation with the Chief Immigration Officer, Governor Pruce determined that Mr. Baynes’ continued presence in the Territory was no longer conducive to the public good. This determination is a direct consequence of the gravity of the security breach and the subsequent criminal conviction.
The Government of the Virgin Islands views the Baynes case as a definitive benchmark for addressing conduct that undermines the safety of the public and the efficacy of our police force. The unauthorized disclosure of police intelligence is an intolerable violation of duty that necessitates removal to protect the success of future operations.
This action reinforces the Government’s commitment to ensuring that those who serve the public are held to the highest ethical standards.