Armed Man Jailed 50 Months After Gun Found at E.T. Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale

Devon "Barto" Baptiste, 35, was sentenced to 50 months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Chief Magistrate Colin John rejected his surrender claim.

Georgetown Man Sentenced for Firearm Possession at Decommissioned Airport

Devon "Barto" Baptiste, a 35-year-old unemployed man from Georgetown and Arnos Vale, has been jailed for 50 months after pleading guilty to possessing an illegal nine-millimetre firearm and eight rounds of ammunition, Searchlight SVG reports.

Baptiste was found with the weapon on July 4, 2026, at the tarmac of the decommissioned E.T. Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale. His lawyer, Grant Connell, told the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that his client had discovered the gun on the ground and intended to hand it over to a trusted police officer — but never had the opportunity to do so.

Chief Magistrate Colin John dismissed the account and sentenced Baptiste accordingly.

Connell used the occasion to make a broader observation, telling the court that His Majesty's Prison had begun to resemble the Red Cross, with some individuals seeking incarceration for free accommodation. He added that others pursue imprisonment as protection from criminal elements on the streets.

Source: Searchlight SVG