Americans arrested in Turks and Caicos face 12 years in prison over 'innocent mistake': 'Never dawned on us'

EXCLUSIVE: Multiple Americans are facing minimum 12-year situation sentences for unknowingly having ammunition aliases bullets successful their luggage while traveling location from Turks and Caicos.

Ryan Watson, a begetter of 2 from Oklahoma, and Tyler Wenrich, a begetter of a 1-year-old toddler from Virginia, were some arrested and detained this period aft Turks and Caicos airdrome security recovered bullets successful their luggage while they were returning from their vacations connected nan island. 

"At immoderate point, [airport security] extracted a baggie that had 4 hunting bullets that I usage for cervid hunting. And I was conscionable arsenic amazed arsenic anybody other that they made that discovery," Watson told Fox News Digital. "I don't callback ever putting those bullets successful that bag. I tin make an presumption that I utilized that container connected play trips and I had — backmost successful November — utilized that container … for my deer-hunting travel successful Texas."

Now, Watson — who was celebrating respective of his friends' 40th birthdays connected nan islands — faces a minimum of 12 years successful situation if his efforts for justness successful tribunal aren't successful. A caller instruction passed successful February subjects Turks and Caicos visitors to much than a decade of situation clip for leaving nan state pinch bullets successful their bags. His wife, Valerie, was arrested alongside her hubby connected April 12, but authorities released her connected Tuesday.

OKLAHOMA MAN WITH AMMO IN TURKS AND CAICOS AIRPORT FACES 12 YEARS IN PRISON: ‘RISK OF LOSING EVERYTHING'

Ryan and Valerie Watson were arrested successful Turks and Caicos connected April 12 aft land airdrome officials recovered ammunition successful Ryan's carry-on bag. Valerie was released, but Ryan faces up to 12 years successful prison. (GoFundMe)

"I thought that was an intimidation maneuver astatine first," Ryan Watson said of nan imaginable 12-year condemnation that was explained to him upon his arrest.

OKLAHOMA AIRPORT UNDER TSA MICROSCOPE AFTER TURKS AND CAICOS JAILS DAD FOUND WITH AMMO

Watson was released connected $15,000 bail aft nan driver he hired for his weeklong picnic put up his conveyance "as what they telephone surety," Watson said. 

A Turks and Caicos tribunal confirmed that Ryan Watson was granted $15,000 bail for nan ammunition possession charge. (Turks and Caicos police)

"So it has to beryllium a section that has an plus of nan balanced worth of your bail. And truthful he put up his vehicle, which is his measurement to make a living. He put up nan title of that conveyance successful bid for america to get bail," Watson explained. 

The begetter of 2 is now staying astatine a section residence because he cannot time off Turks and Caicos nether nan conditions of his merchandise until his trial.

The Oklahoma begetter has been successful touch pinch astatine slightest 5 different Americans who are facing nan aforesaid fate, including Tyler Wenrich, who remains successful jailhouse aft being arrested connected April 20.

Tyler Wenrich is besides facing a minimum 12-year situation condemnation aft 2 stray bullets were recovered successful his container while walking location from Turks and Caicos. (Michael Wenrich)

"Double check. Triple check. Quadruple check. Because … an guiltless correction for illustration this now has … it's affecting a batch of families," Wenrich's father, Michael Wenrich, told Fox News Digital. 

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Both men, who are ineligible weapon owners successful nan U.S., sewage done TSA information successful American airports without being flagged anterior to their trips. 

Ryan and Valerie Watson connected picnic successful Turks and Caicos. (Facebook)

Now, TSA is investigating Will Rogers World Airport successful Oklahoma City, wherever Watson flew retired of to get to nan islands. 

"[I]t ne'er dawned connected us."

"We had nary intentions of ever bringing thing into this country. … It was conscionable trying to battalion committee shorts and flip-flops, and that was each we were concerned astir bringing," Watson said. "So … it ne'er dawned connected america to investigation immoderate of these things. And location are a batch of locals that person been conscionable specified a blessing and person had specified gracious hearts."

Valerie Watson likewise said her family realizes their communicative "may hurt" tourism successful Turks and Caicos, which her family does not want to hap because nan locals they met location "are specified good-hearted people."

Wenrich flew from Virginia to Florida, wherever he boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise for a "wedding party," each without nan bullets being detected, his dada said. The cruise docked, and nan statement spent immoderate clip successful Grand Turk earlier Wenrich was yet detained erstwhile he was caught pinch 2 stray bullets successful his container while returning home.

Wenrich flew from Virginia to Florida, wherever he boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise for a "wedding party," each without nan bullets being detected. (TCI Police)

The U.S. Embassy successful nan Bahamas presently has a recreation alert that says "[f]irearms, ammunition (including stray bullets), and different weapons are not permitted successful nan Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI)," adding that "TCI authorities strictly enforce all firearms-and-ammunition-related laws."

"If you bring a firearm aliases ammunition into TCI, moreover inadvertently, we will not beryllium capable to unafraid your merchandise from custody."

"The punishment for walking to TCI pinch a firearm, ammunition, aliases different limb tin consequence successful a minimum custodial condemnation of 12 (12) years," nan Embassy states successful nan alert. "If you bring a firearm aliases ammunition into TCI, moreover inadvertently, we will not beryllium capable to unafraid your merchandise from custody. You are taxable to TCI laws and must travel section rule enforcement procedures."

Tyler Wenrich and Ryan Watson are some group to look successful tribunal successful Turks and Caicos connected June 7. (Michael Wenrich)

Valerie thanked nan nationalist and authorities leaders for their outpouring of support for her family, saying she and their children conscionable want Ryan home.

"We really strive to conscionable raise our kids to beryllium bully people. We strive to beryllium bully group and do bully for others. We would ne'er intentionally do thing that would put anybody successful harm," she said. " And nan magnitude of support that group person shown america done each of this successful conscionable truthful galore different ways, done prayer, done nan GoFundMe … our authorities officials, doing everything they tin to thief and support us. I mean, it is humbling and we are truthful grateful. … We want Ryan to travel location truthful that he tin beryllium pinch our kids and our family."

Both Watson and Wenrich are group to look successful tribunal connected June 7.