The Dominican government has hit back at social media claims suggesting it is negotiating with the United States for the release of an American man currently held at the Dominica State Prison.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy dismissed the reports as “unfounded” and “malicious,” specifically accusing the opposition of peddling hearsay to mislead the public.

The controversy surrounds Jonathan Scott Lehrer, one of two United States nationals currently on remand in Dominica. 

Lehrer and Robert Snider are accused of murdering co-resort owner Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchandin December 2023.

Rumours circulating online had suggested that recent high-level communications between the two countries were an attempt to reach a private deal for Lehrer’s release.

However, the Ministry clarified that the interaction is nothing more than standard international protocol. 

Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the United States Embassy in Bridgetown is entitled to check on its citizens detained abroad.

According to the government, the Embassy requested access via a formal Diplomatic Note. These consular visits have been ongoing since November 2024, with the most recent meeting held virtually on January 14, 2026.

“It is standard consular practice for diplomatic missions to extend consular assistance to their nationals who are detained overseas,” the Ministry stated, adding that the process is transparent and involves coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Security.

Officials confirmed that another in-person meeting between US representatives and the detainees is already scheduled for February 2026.

The government maintained that it remains committed to “integrity, fairness and respect” in its treatment of all detainees. 

The government urged the public to stop spreading speculation that could interfere with the legal process, insisting that the justice system must be allowed to take its course without outside interference.