First appeared on FOX: Three of the five Americans arrested and detained in the Turks and Caicos Islands since February for having ammunition in their luggage are sleeping together on the islands as they await their fate.
Brian Hagerich, 39, from Pennsylvania, Ryan Watson, 40, from Oklahoma and Shalitta Greer, from Florida, became unlikely friends and even family after being stranded on the island in what they each described as a mistake.
“We all support each other. We’re a big family,” Watson said in an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, alongside Haegerich and Grier. Watson later described the trio as “like brothers and sisters.”
Tyler Wenrich, 31, of Virginia, and Michael Lee Evans, 72, of Texas, were also arrested for having ammunition in their bags. The five Americans, arrested since February, face a minimum sentence of 12 years in prison for possessing ammunition while in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). While there are slight differences in each case, all five were arrested on their way home after security found bullets in their carry-on luggage.
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Ryan Watson, Shalitta Greer and Brian Hagerich have been living together in an apartment after being arrested in Turks and Caicos for possessing ammunition. (Fox News Digital)
On Friday, Hagerich will appear in court to be sentenced and a judge will decide whether he must serve his time at TCI prison or whether he can return home to his wife and two children.
“It’s every emotion under the sun.”
“From the day I was arrested, my ultimate goal was to get off the island and go home to my family, and to think that that day could be tomorrow brings up all kinds of emotions,” Hagerich said in an interview Thursday. “I’m very anxious. [are] There’s been a lot of prayers from family, friends and even strangers around the world for hopefully this outcome. So we’re optimistic that things will go well tomorrow and I’ll be able to come home. At this point, that’s not a certainty, but I believe that we’ve made a very strong case in my defense.”
Watson and Hagerich are seen cooking in an apartment in Turks and Caicos. (Handouts)
Haigerich had packed a large suitcase for a family vacation and in one of the compartments was ammunition from a previous hunting trip.
“I never dreamed a simple mistake would land me in Turks and Caicos for over 100 days,” Hagerich said.
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The five Americans arrested since February at Turks and Caicos Islands airport for possession of ammunition are, from left, Michael Lee Evans (not pictured), Brian Hagerich, Tyler Wenrich, Ryan Watson and Shalitta Greer. (Turks and Caicos Islands Police/Dimitrios Kambouris)
The lining of Watson’s carry-on luggage contained leftover bullets from a hunting trip, while the lining of Greer’s gun, which he had recently purchased for self-defense, also contained stray bullets. Greer told Fox News Digital that he wanted the gun in case of an emergency because his brother’s store sometimes closes at night.
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“I had no intention of hurting anybody or anything. It’s something I’m scared of myself. It’s not something to joke about,” Greer said, adding that he had “no reason” to own a gun other than to protect himself while closing down his brother’s store.
In fact, Greif had never fired a gun in his life.
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Shalitta Greer has never fired a gun. (Handouts)
Wenrich also told Fox News Digital that he had no intention of bringing the guns onto the island and was unaware that he had two bullets in his travel backpack until security found them.
Greer said TCI staff handcuffed her ankles to a chair when she was arrested last week. Watson and Hagerich were already living together in the same apartment building when they heard about Greer’s arrest and invited her to move in with them.
“It’s become a big family.”
“It was important for her to have a room,” Watson said. “Hearing her story and what she went through, being tied to a chair and having to sleep on the floor…it’s heartbreaking. We wanted to make sure she had a safe place, a nice, comfortable bed to sleep in, and privacy. There was no question. We were lucky to be able to include Shalitta in this plan because we all…we support each other. We’ve become one big family.”
Greer, Hagerich and Watson say they spend their days strategizing cases to get home as quickly as possible, making media appearances, calling politicians and cooking. (Handouts)
Watson believes Hagerich’s sentence will “serve as a guide” for other Americans detained at TCI in the sentencing of their own cases.
“But I am worried about my brother. He will stand before a judge tomorrow and be faced with a decision that will dramatically impact the rest of his life,” Watson said. “I’m just praying fervently that it’s the best possible outcome.”
Watson added that he is raising funds to send copies of the Action Bible, which his son describes as a “comic book version of the Bible,” to the church that Watson, Hagerich and Greer attend at TCI. So far, about 100 copies have been sent, he said.
Watson said he is raising money to send copies of the Action Bible, which his son describes as a “comic book version of the Bible,” to the church that Watson, Hagerich and Greer attend at TCI. (Handouts)
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Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania told Fox News Digital on Thursday that he is lobbying the State Department to issue a no-travel order to TCI that would ban cruise ships from docking on the island and prohibit travelers from purchasing travel insurance.
The senator also noted that most Americans visiting the islands come from Texas, Florida and Virginia, and is considering imposing tariffs on US imports to TCI and issuing a travel ban from certain states.
Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania told Fox News Digital on Thursday that he is lobbying the State Department to issue a travel ban order for TCI. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
“Their economy is overwhelmingly dependent on tourism, over 70 percent, and 86 percent of their tourists are American,” Reschenthaler said, “so all we have to do is issue a travel ban.” [order] “And we’re going to destroy their economy overnight, and then hopefully we can free the Americans and force the Turks and Caicos Islands to change this law.”
He added that the “draconian” law treats Americans who possess ammunition “as if they were arms smugglers and gun dealers.”
“None of them, by the way, had firearms in their possession. The bullets were just carelessly and accidentally left behind in a carry-on duffel bag,” the congressman noted.
A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress visited TCI officials on Monday to discuss the arrests of five Americans over ammunition possession laws. (TCI Governor’s Office)
On Monday, a bipartisan congressional delegation visited TCI to urge government leaders to release Americans who were detained for having ammunition in their bags.
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“The US delegation raised concerns about the cases of five US nationals currently on trial, concerns about their health status and clarification of the legal process,” the TCI Governor’s Office said in a statement on Monday. “In order to preserve the integrity of the legal process, the Governor confirmed that it would not be appropriate to accommodate the delegation’s request to meet with the Chief Justice.”
The governor and premier also said they “cannot intervene or comment on ongoing litigation in the courts,” the statement continued. “They explained that the Turks and Caicos Islands have clear laws prohibiting the possession of firearms and ammunition, and that severe penalties are in place to protect all people living and visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
