(NewsNation) — An Oklahoma man whom police detained in Turks and Caicos under stringent ammunition laws isn’t alone. Another man from Pennsylvania found himself in a similar situation after mistakenly traveling with hunting ammo in his luggage, he said.
The British territory southeast of the Bahamas strictly enforces ammunition laws. The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas has warned travelers to carefully check their luggage before entering the Turks and Caicos Islands, clarifying that even if a U.S. citizen inadvertently travels with firearms or ammunition, the embassy can’t secure their release.
Now both men must remain overseas while their wives and children in the United States rally for their release.
Security finds ammo in Oklahoma man’s luggage
Ryan Watson and his wife visited the islands for a birthday trip earlier this month. As they were about to head home, however, airport security stopped the couple and said they found ammunition in the Oklahoma man’s carry-on luggage.
Watson called it a “bonehead mistake,” but penalties for violating Turks and Caicos’ strict ammunition laws carry a 12-year minimum prison sentence for anyone bringing a firearm or ammunition to the islands.
Watson posted bail Wednesday with the help of locals who offered up their belongings to help secure Watson’s release, he told NewsNation.
“There’s some beautiful people here but I just want to go home,” he said.
Watson must remain in Turks and Caicos, separated from his wife and children while his case unfolds.
“Being in our home without him is really weird,” his wife Valerie Watson told NewsNation. “It’s been busy. I really haven’t even spent much time with the kids yet. This is our new reality, and it’s pretty terrible.”
Ryan Watson is scheduled to make his next court appearance on June 7.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is using every political resource available to bring the father and husband home, he told NewsNation.
“This is a shakedown,” Stitt said. “Our whole delegation is talking to him. We’ve reached out to the British government, so hopefully this will be resolved very quickly; cooler heads will prevail.”
Pennsylvania man faces similar dilemma
Bryan Hagerich was also vacationing with his family in February when security discovered stray hunting ammunition in his luggage.
“I don’t think any of us ever had any idea of the magnitude this would bring to our family,” Hagerich told NewsNation. It has been nothing sort of a struggle the past 70-plus days.”
Authorities detained Hagerich for eight days before he was able to post bail.
Months later, however, he remains on the island.
Hagerich stays at Airbnbs on the islands while his wife Ashley struggles to keep their family afloat in Pennsylvania.
“Never in a million years could we imagine that an honest mistake like this could lead to the absolute torture our family is going through,” she said.
Why were they traveling with ammo and why did police arrest them?
Both men have said they unknowingly brought along ammunition that was packed for previous hunting trips.
In Turks and Caicos, no firearms, weapons, or stray bullets are allowed in the Islands.
Local authorities strictly enforce firearms and ammunition-related laws.
Travelers in the U.S. are banned from bringing ammunition in their carry-on luggage, but they can pack it in their checked baggage if they store it properly, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Even within the U.S., however, improperly secured and undeclared ammunition or firearms can result in a fine and criminal referral.