USVI native to be deported

Camille King Jr being escorted to court in 2015

Governor John Duncan has ordered the deportation of US Virgin Islands (USVI) native Camille King Jr, who was sentenced last year for a myriad of offences including illegal possession of a firearm.

The deportation order was made on March 8 for the convicted man to be placed on the first available ship or aircraft leaving the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

In the order, Governor Duncan noted that King is not a Belonger in the territory, and that he has been convicted of various offences including illegal entry.

The governor, under the Immigration and Passport Act, can deport a non-Belonger who has been convicted of an offence against the said immigration law, or any other offence in the BVI punishable with imprisonment for three months or more.

“It has come to my knowledge that Camille W King III is a person not deemed to belong to the Territory, and that the said Camille W King III has landed in the Territory contrary to the provisions of the Immigration and Passport Ordinance (CAP 130), and further has been convicted of several offences including the offence of illegal entry – each of which is punishable with imprisonment of three months or more,” Governor Duncan said in the deportation order.

In December last year, Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo ordered King to spend three-and-a-half years at Her Majesty’s Prison after he was convicted for possession of explosives, possession of a controlled drugs, possession of illegal firearm, and landing without leave from an immigration officer.

The magistrate ordered that the sentence should start from the time King was first arrested for the offences.

He was arrested in November 2014 after being nabbed in the Sactliffe Alley area of Tortola.

Police said they were conducting a stop and search operation in the area when they observed King trying to hide an object behind a shed.

When they approached him, he reportedly ran and dropped a bag he was carrying.

However, one of his feet became entangled in a string on the bag, causing him to fall.

Police held him and searched the bag he was carrying. They reportedly found a magazine with nine rounds, 17 dime bags containing cocaine, and 14 dime bags with marijuana.

Police also said they found a semi-automatic pistol with several rounds in the area where King was seen.

King admitted that he entered the BVI without leave from immigration officers.

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