A 30-year-old U.S. man found himself in trouble in Turks and Caicos last weekend when authorities discovered ammunition in his luggage, according to CBS News. This incident marks the latest in a series of similar cases involving American citizens in the British territory.
Upon inspection of his backpack on April 20, Tyler Wenrich was taken into custody after two bullets were allegedly found as he was preparing to board a cruise ship.
In Turks and Caicos, possession of firearms or ammunition is strictly prohibited. While tourists previously could typically resolve such infractions with a fine, a recent court ruling in February now mandates potential prison sentences even for those in the process of departing the country.
As a Virginia EMT and father, Wenrich now faces the grim possibility of a mandatory minimum 12-year prison term.
"I feel like, as a very honest mistake, that 12 years is absurd," expressed his wife, Jeriann Wenrich, to CBS News on Friday.
Wenrich revealed that her husband had only been on the island for less than a day when the arrest took place.
"My son's only 18 months old, and I just don't want him to grow up without a dad," she added.
There are now at least four American tourists facing the possibility of lengthy prison sentences for similar charges, including a 72-year-old man, Michael Lee Evans, who was arrested in December and pled guilty to possession of seven rounds of ammo. He appeared before the court on Wednesday via a video conference link. Currently on bail in the U.S. for medical reasons, Evans has a sentencing hearing in June. A fifth person, Michael Grim of Indiana, served nearly six months in prison after he pleaded guilty to mistakenly bringing ammo in his checked luggage for a vacation.
Ryan Watson, a 40-year-old father of two from Oklahoma, was released from a Turks and Caicos jail on $15,000 bond Wednesday. Following a birthday vacation with his wife, he was arrested April 12 when airport security allegedly found four rounds of hunting ammo in his carry-on bag earlier this month.
His wife, Valerie Watson, flew home to Oklahoma Tuesday after learning she would not be charged. However, as part of his bond agreement, her husband must remain on the island and check in every Tuesday and Thursday at the Grace Bay Police Station while his case moves forward.
In an interview Friday from the island, Ryan Watson told CBS News that he checked the bag before he packed it.
"I opened it up and kind of give it a little shimmy, didn't see anything, didn't hear anything," he said.
TSA also acknowledged that officers missed the ammo when Watson's bag was screened at the checkpoint on April 7 at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.
In a statement provided to CBS News Friday, a TSA spokesperson said that "four rounds of ammunition were not detected" in Watson's bag "during the security screening."
The agency spokesperson admitted to an internal oversight that occurred recently.
"I take full responsibility for the mistake," stated Ryan Watson. "It was a completely innocent error, and I hope for understanding and empathy, as there was no malicious intent."
In an official announcement on Friday, the Turks and Caicos government emphasized its authority to uphold local laws, stating that all visitors must comply with law enforcement procedures.
After the recent coverage of Ryan Watson by CBS News, the State Department reissued a caution to American tourists visiting Turks and Caicos, advising them to thoroughly inspect their belongings for any stray ammunition or forgotten weapons.
