On Tuesday, an Oklahoma woman named Valarie Watson was reunited with her young children after being detained for nearly two weeks in Turks and Caicos. Her husband, Ryan, remains held in the British Territory of Turks and Caicos, near the Bahamas.
The American couple traveled to Turks and Caicos on April 7 to celebrate the 40th birthday of Ryan and two friends. While attempting to board their return flight, officials found a zip lock bag with four rounds of ammunition in a carry-on bag. This was the start of a vacation-turned nightmare.
Ryan explained to NBC Boston:
They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer. I recognized them and I thought, 'oh man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no idea that those were in there.'
The Watsons were interrogated and charged with possession of ammunition. After a hearing on Monday, the charges against Valarie have been dropped, and Ryan was sent to jail. At a hearing on Wednesday, he was granted bail. Ryan faces 12 years in a foreign prison for violating the strict gun laws of the island nation.
Valarie told NBC Boston:
When I heard that, I immediately was terrified because I was like, we can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home. And this is such an innocent mistake that we didn't even know we weren't– we didn't even know it was there. So yeah, my immediate thought was our kids and them being, you know, parentless for, for that long.
In 2022, Turks and Caicos enacted stricter laws regarding firearms and ammunition possession, increasing the penalty to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 12 years. In September, the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued an alert to travelers, writing:
We strongly encourage you to carefully check your luggage for stray ammunition or forgotten weapons before departing for TCI (Turks and Caicos Islands). If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will not be able to secure your release from custody. You are subject to TCI laws and must follow local law enforcement procedures.
Unfortunately, the Watson family's unsettling story isn't unique. According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Turks and Caicos Islands Attorney General’s Chambers and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, there are currently three U.S. tourists being held on bail for firearms and ammunition prosecutions.
— TCIG Communications Directorate (@TCIG_Press) April 24, 2024
The statement said that over a span of two years, there have been five instances where the Supreme Court of Turks and Caicos identified exceptional circumstances in firearms or ammunition cases. Out of these cases, four offenders were fined, and one received a custodial sentence below the mandated minimum.
The director of public prosecutions said:
8 firearms and ammunitions prosecutions in total were done involving tourists from the United States, 3 of which are currently before the court with each of the defendants on bail.
Among those three Americans is Bryan Hagerich, a Pennsylvania resident, who was detained after hunting ammunition was discovered in his luggage following a family vacation in February. He has been out on bail for 70 days, awaiting a court hearing scheduled for May 3. Hagerich, a former professional baseball player drafted by the Florida Marlins, resides in Pennsylvania with his wife and two young children. He spent eight days in jail before being released on bail. He said the ammunition was found in a bag he regularly used for weekend hunting outings.
Hagerich told NBC Boston:
It's incredibly scary. You know, you just don't know what the next day may bring. You know, what path this may take. You know, you're in a completely different culture, a different country by yourself. You know, it's certainly a lot different than packing your bags and going away with your family for a few days. It's been the worst 70 days of my life.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the State Department noted the detentions, saying:
We're aware of the arrest of U.S. citizens in Turks and Caicos. When a U.S. citizen is arrested, we stand by ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance, but in a foreign country, U.S. citizens are subject to the country's laws, even if they may differ from what is law in the United States.
Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy of the Bahamas issued an updated advisory for American tourists.
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