MEXICO CITY (AP) – The families of four Americans charged with carrying ammunition in the Turks and Caicos Islands said Thursday their loved ones were “unlawfully detained” on the island awaiting legal proceedings. claimed that it had been done.
Last week, the Turks and Caicos Islands government confirmed it had charged four American men with carrying 33 rounds of ammunition in a group. The four individuals were identified as Michael Lee Evans, Brian Hagerich, Tyler Scott Wenrich, and Ryan Tyler Watson.
American arrested in Turks and Caicos Islands could face 12 years in prison for ‘innocent mistake’: ‘He never disrespected us’
In a statement released on social media last week, the government said their islands “have clear laws and harsh penalties prohibiting the possession of firearms and ammunition in order to serve and protect our communities.”
As of last week, Hagerich and Evans had both pleaded guilty.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says it is illegal to transport firearms and ammunition to or from Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, without a permit and has repeatedly warned travelers. There is. That site.
The government significantly tightened gun laws in Turks and Caicos Islands in 2022 after a significant increase in gun violence and arms trafficking. Breaching the law could result in a minimum prison sentence of 12 years, but the government said “the sentence may be reduced in exceptional circumstances”. . ”
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Overseas Dependency.
According to a post by a relative on the fundraising site GoFundMe, the four men were vacationing on the island to celebrate a friend’s birthday, but when they were about to return home, a security guard said, “I went deer hunting, and my duffel bags were stolen.” They found “ammunition left unknowingly inside,” which was lost. Leaving the United States without being noticed by authorities.
Turks and Caicos Islands said in a statement that it is the responsibility of travelers to “ensure that weapons and ammunition are not included in their luggage” and that they are “strictly prohibited” without prior authorization. ATF also warns that it is “the traveler’s responsibility to check local laws.”
The family has asked for help to pay mounting legal fees and living expenses, and as of Friday more than $220,000 has been raised. Authorities and the paper say the men have been released on bail, but family members claim Hagerich has been “unlawfully detained in Turkey for 81 days” and others have been separated from their children and families. He claims he has been confined on the island for several weeks awaiting legal proceedings.
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“They face an unfamiliar, difficult, and expensive legal system that operates differently than the American justice system,” the post said.
Jessica Byrd, a fundraising campaign organizer and Watson’s sister, said Thursday that Hagerich, who has pleaded guilty to possessing 20 rifle rounds, is scheduled to go to trial on Friday. She added that he was likely to be sentenced on the same day or next week.
