U.S. tourist faces 12 years in prison after taking ammunition to Turks and Caicos

An Oklahoma man faces as much as 12 years in jail on a Caribbean island after customs officers discovered ammunition in his baggage.

Ryan Watson traveled to Turks and Caicos together with his spouse, Valerie, to rejoice his fortieth birthday on April 7. They went with two mates who had additionally turned 40.

The holiday got here to an abrupt finish when airport employees members discovered a zip-close bag containing bullets within the couple’s carry-on baggage. Watson mentioned it was looking ammunition he had by accident introduced with him — however underneath a strict regulation in Turks and Caicos, a court docket should impose a compulsory 12-year sentence.

“They had been looking ammunition rounds that I exploit for whitetail deer,” Watson advised NBC Boston in an interview carried out final week that aired after their first court docket look Tuesday.

“I acknowledged them, and I believed, ‘Oh, man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no concept that these had been in there,'” he mentioned.

The couple had been arrested and charged with possession of ammunition. Authorities seized their passports and defined the penalties they confronted.

Valerie Watson mentioned within the interview: “Once I heard that, I instantly was terrified, as a result of I used to be like we won’t each be in jail for 12 years. We now have youngsters at dwelling, and that is such an harmless mistake.”

The fees towards her had been dropped, and she or he returned dwelling to Oklahoma Metropolis on Tuesday after the court docket listening to to be reunited along with her two younger kids.

“Our purpose is to get Ryan dwelling, as a result of we are able to’t be a household with out Dad,” she mentioned.

The couple additionally spoke concerning the monetary burden of a a lot longer-than-planned journey. “That is one thing that we could by no means get well from,” Ryan Watson mentioned.

The U.S. Embassy within the Bahamas issued a warning to vacationers in September a few regulation that strongly prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition in Turks and Caicos, an abroad British territory southeast of the Bahamas that could be a in style trip spot.

It mentioned: “We want to remind all vacationers that declaring a weapon in your baggage with an airline provider doesn’t grant permission to deliver the weapon into TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands] and can end in your arrest.”

The embassy added: “In the event you deliver a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will be unable to safe your launch from custody.”

The embassy and the federal government in Turks and Caicos didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

The identical factor occurred to a different American, Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, who was arrested after ammunition was present in his baggage earlier than he tried to board a flight out of Turks and Caicos in February. He mentioned he by accident left it in his bag.

Hagerich was on a household trip together with his spouse and two younger kids however has now been within the nation for 70 days. He spent eight days in jail earlier than he posted bail.

“It’s extremely scary. , you simply don’t know what the following day could deliver — you realize, what path this will take,” Hagerich advised NBC Boston.

“, it’s actually so much completely different than packing your baggage and going away with your loved ones for just a few days. It’s been the worst 70 days of my life,” he mentioned.

Hagerich, as soon as knowledgeable baseball participant, was drafted by the Florida Marlins within the MLB 2007 June beginner draft from the College of Delaware.

His case goes to trial Might 3.