An American tourist, Ryan Watson from Oklahoma, was arrested in Turks and Caicos for unintentionally carrying four rounds of ammunition in his luggage. The incident occurred on April 12, 2024, at the Howard Hamilton International Airport when the ammunition was discovered during a routine security check. Initially facing a potential prison sentence of up to 12 years and a fine of $500 per bullet, Watson's fate took an unexpected turn.
On June 21, 2024, Judge Lobban Jackson handed down his sentence in the Turks and Caicos Islands court. Instead of the harsh penalty initially feared, Watson received a suspended sentence of 13 weeks and was fined $2,000. The lenient ruling came after Watson's defense attorney Oliver Smith argued for exceptional circumstances.
Watson had unknowingly packed the ammunition in his luggage from a previous hunting trip. He expressed remorse for the situation and detailed the toll of his detainment on patients in his work as a salesman for a medical device company and on his two children. The judge acknowledged these factors, leading to Watson's lenient sentence.
Two other American tourists, Tyler Wenrich from Virginia and Bryan Hagerich from Pennsylvania, were also able to return home after being charged and detained on the islands for inadvertently traveling with ammunition. Their cases received similar outcomes as Watson's.
The leniency shown towards these American tourists comes amidst calls from members of the U.S. Congress to show leniency to the Americans, leading island lawmakers to reconsider the mandatory minimum sentence for firearms offenses.
Watson is expected to pay his fine and return home with his family shortly.
