Oklahoma man could serve 12 years in prison for unintentionally carrying ammunition to Turks and Caicos
An Oklahoma man, Ryan Watson, potentially faces 12 years in a foreign prison for accidentally carrying ammunition in his carry-on luggage to the Turks and Caicos Islands. While celebrating his 40th birthday trip with his wife and friends, Watson was detained in the British territory after security found deer hunting rounds in his possession. The Oklahoma man, Ryan Watson, may be sentenced to 12 years in a foreign prison for inadvertently bringing ammunition in his carry-on bag to Turks and Caicos. On a birthday celebration trip with his wife and friends, Watson was detained in the British territory when security discovered deer hunting rounds in his possession.
An Oklahoma man is facing 12 years in a foreign prison after he accidentally brought ammunition to the Turks and Caicos Islands in his carry-on luggage.
Ryan Watson is detained in the British overseas territory, where he, his wife, and some friends were traveling to celebrate Watson and others’ 40th birthdays, according to a report.
After spending time in Turks and Caicos, Watson and his wife attempted to fly home on April 12 but were stopped when security officials discovered at least four deer hunting rounds inside a Ziploc bag in Watson’s carry-on.
The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas states on its website that it strictly enforces the law that states, “Firearms, ammunition, and other weapons are not permitted in the Turks and Caicos Islands.” The penalty for being caught with such items is “a minimum custodial sentence of twelve (12) years.”
Watson claimed he had forgotten about the ammunition after a previous hunting trip, and officials with the Transportation Security Administration appeared to miss the rounds when they left the United States, according to the report.
“When you realize what it was, in the back of my mind, I was thinking it was me and that I had too much liquid or my perfume bottle was too big or something,” Watson’s wife Valerie said. “And they showed us what it was, and immediately, my heart just sank, and I had a pit in my stomach. We are in a foreign country, and I don’t know what their rules and laws are.”
“Typically, he keeps his ammo with his rifle case. So, maybe it was an afterthought. He threw it in, and it was obviously lost in there,” she said. “It was a terrible, terrible, terrible mistake we were unaware of. Had no idea it was in there.”
Ryan and Valerie Watson were detained before appearing in court on Monday. An online fundraiser to cover their legal fees has raised more than $189,000.
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All charges against Valerie Watson were dropped, but Ryan Watson was charged with possessing ammunition and taken to jail.
He made bail, but he cannot leave the territory because his next hearing is slated for June 7, according to the report.
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