American arrested in Turks and Caicos after ammo found in luggage out on bail

Ryan Watson, nan American tourer who is facing a imaginable 12-year situation word successful Turks and Caicos aft ammo was allegedly recovered successful his luggage by airdrome security, is retired connected bail.

Watson, 40, secured a $15,000 enslaved connected Wednesday aft spending 2 nights successful jail. The Oklahoma begetter of 2 must enactment connected nan land and has to cheque successful each Tuesday and Thursday astatine nan Grace Bay Police Station while his lawsuit moves forward. Watson's wife, Valerie Watson, is not facing immoderate charges and was capable to return location to Oklahoma connected Tuesday.

His adjacent tribunal day is scheduled for June 7.

Watson's enslaved comes arsenic Tyler Wenrich, a 31-year-old from Virginia, was charged pinch nan aforesaid count of possession of ammunition earlier this week, Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police announced Thursday. According to police, Wenrich was allegedly recovered pinch ammo erstwhile he went done a information checkpoint aft arriving connected nan land of Grand Turk from a cruise vessel connected Tuesday.

Bryan Hagerich, yet different American who was besides arrested for allegedly having ammo successful his luggage backmost successful February, goes earlier a judge May 3, pinch sentencing apt to hap soon after. Ryan Watson is hoping his lawsuit tin beryllium expedited based connected nan result of Hagerich's case.   

A GoFundMe page group up for nan Watson family had, arsenic of Thursday evening, raised much than $175,000. 

"I'm wholly humbled and consciousness truthful incredibly blessed that group person been responding successful specified a powerful way," Ryan Watson told CBS News. "I americium still very prayerful that nan State Department tin thief america find a solution to get backmost home."

Valerie Watson antecedently told CBS News nan ammo was brought to nan land by mistake.

"Packing ammunition was not astatine each our intent," she said.

Following a CBS News study connected Ryan Watson, nan State Department connected Wednesday sent a tweet informing American visitors walking to Turks and Caicos to cheque their luggage for stray ammunition and firearms.  

Turks and Caicos authorities "strictly enforce each firearms-and-ammunition-related laws," nan State Department wrote. "Declaring a limb successful your luggage pinch an hose bearer does not assistance support to bring nan limb into nan Turks and Caicos Islands and will consequence successful your arrest."

Possessing a weapon aliases ammunition is prohibited successful Turks and Caicos. In February, a tribunal bid mandated that moreover visitors successful nan process of leaving nan country, who had antecedently been capable to conscionable salary a fine, are taxable to situation time.

At slightest 1 weapon authorities group is urging its members not to recreation to Turks and Caicos because of nan caller arrests. 

"To each U.S. weapon owners, Do Not Travel to nan Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory located southeast of nan Bahamas, and if you person already made plans, reconsider your destination," nan Second Amendment Association wrote.

In:
• Turks and Caicos
• Guns