Valerie Watson arrived back at Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport on Tuesday morning in tears, a stark contrast to how she had envisioned the end of her long weekend trip to Turks and Caicos.
While Valerie is back home, her husband, Ryan Watson, is currently in jail on the island facing a potential mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years after airport security discovered four rounds of hunting ammo in his carry-on bag earlier this month.
“We were just trying to pack board shorts and flip flops,” Valerie Watson told CBS News. “We never intended to pack ammunition.”
Valerie Watson, who found out on Sunday that she would not be charged and could return home, described the trip as going from a dream vacation to a nightmare.
The Watsons are not the only ones facing this ordeal.
Bryan Hagerich is currently awaiting trial after ammunition was found in his checked bag in February.
“I ended up spending eight nights in their local jail. It was one of the darkest and hardest times of my life,” Hagerich said. “The past 70 days have been a roller coaster, dealing with the pain and suffering of being away from my family.”
Possessing firearms or ammunition is prohibited in Turks and Caicos, and tourists were previously able to pay fines for violations. However, a court order in February mandated that even tourists leaving the country could face prison time.
Since November 2022, there have been a total of eight prosecutions involving firearms and ammunition of tourists from the United States, with three cases currently before the court and defendants out on bail.
Michael Grim from Indiana pleaded guilty to accidentally having ammunition in his checked bag last year. He served nearly six months in prison.
“It was tough. No clean water, exposed to the environment constantly,” Grim shared with CBS News. “Mosquitoes and tropical illnesses were a real concern. It was a challenging environment.”
The U.S. embassy issued a travel alert last September advising people to check their luggage for stray ammunition and warning that they may not be able to secure their release from custody.
The State Department spokesperson stated, “We are aware of the arrest of U.S. citizens in Turks and Caicos. When a U.S. citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. In a foreign country, U.S. citizens are subject to that country’s laws, even if they differ from those in the United States.”
Ryan Watson expressed disbelief at the situation, mentioning how this mistake could impact important moments in his children’s lives. He emphasized his difficulty in processing the situation.
The Turks and Caicos government responded with a statement confirming the law and reiterating that, even with extenuating circumstances, the judge is required to impose prison time.
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