{"id":1842412,"date":"2023-02-10T11:51:06","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T16:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1842412"},"modified":"2023-02-10T11:53:40","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T16:53:40","slug":"u-s-citizens-facing-lengthy-jail-time-for-accidentally-taking-firearms-into-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-citizens-facing-lengthy-jail-time-for-accidentally-taking-firearms-into-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Citizens Facing Lengthy Jail Time For Accidentally Taking Firearms Into Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fu-s-citizens-facing-lengthy-jail-time-for-accidentally-taking-firearms-into-mexico%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1842412&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47-->\n<p>SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.\u2014Maya Morsi and her boyfriend Eddy had been waiting in the holding area for hours. They were confused, hungry\u2014eager to be on their way to their vacation spot in the city of Rocky Point on the Gulf of California in Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>Morsi could see the sun setting through the window in the prosecutor\u2019s office, not far from Arizona\u2019s southern border.\u00a0She glanced at her Cartier expensive watch and then at her ankle-length metal shackles.<\/p>\n<p>She wondered: &#8220;Wound up the prosecutor?&#8221; He should have been there by now.<\/p>\n<p>Eddy sat silently in a small cell without running water in the adjacent room.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5045119\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09\/20230202_135742-1200x1451.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-5045119\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_135742-600x726-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"726\"   style=\"display:none\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5045119\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_135742-600x726-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"726\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> Antonio Harrison, Gilbert, Arizona, holds photos of Drew, his son, on February 2, 2023. Drew was in Mexico prison after being charged with illegal firearms possession in May 2022.<\/figure>\n<p>It was supposed to be a romantic getaway for the young couple from Scottsdale, Arizona\u2014not a one-way trip through Mexico\u2019s convoluted legal system.<\/p>\n<p>They were told by the military police officers who had arrested them that they needed to meet with the local prosecution to face charges. Maybe they\u2019d pay a fine, and be back on the road in a few hours.<\/p>\n<p>Morsi claimed that none of these things happened.<\/p>\n<p>The couple\u2019s nightmare began the moment they saw the flashing red light on the Mexican side of the international border near Lukeville, Arizona, which signaled them to pull over to undergo a random vehicle inspection.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, Eddy spoke Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey asked us to get out of the car. No problem,\u201d Morsi stated.\u00a0\u201cThe first thing I saw when I got out of the car was my gun under the seat. I\u2019m thinking, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s probably not a good idea.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Untold Numbers of Americans Get Caught Out<\/h2>\n<p>Morsi said the 9mm Glock was the registered firearm she\u2019d kept for the past nine years for its sentimental value.<\/p>\n<p>The couple told The Epoch Times they did not know about Mexico\u2019s strict gun laws.\u00a0The Mexican authorities saw no reason to believe that the couple was ignorant of the law.<\/p>\n<p>Every year, many Americans end up in the same position. Many are sentenced to long jail terms and fines for having illegal firearms in Mexico. And while\u00a0getting arrested with a firearm at the border is easy, getting out of trouble and back home is not.<\/p>\n<p>Often, the process can take months and cost thousands of dollars wading through Mexico\u2019s complex bureaucratic court system.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. State Department states that American citizens are subject in Mexico to local laws, with often severe consequences for violating them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf someone violates local law, even unknowingly, they may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned,\u201d A spokesperson for the State Department spoke on background.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis includes prohibitions on firearms.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Accidental Border Crossing<\/h2>\n<p>Nearly 180,000 gun owners are registered in Arizona, where open and concealed firearms are legal. A firearm can be used to accidentally cross the border.<\/p>\n<p>An Arizona resident explained how easy it was for him to get caught up in the travel lane at the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol\u2019s (CBP) port of entry in San Luis, Arizona, by accident.<\/p>\n<p>Once he was in the line, there was no other way.<\/p>\n<p>It was January at midnight. He said that he was travelling along the US95 Southbound when he saw white cones merge into a single travel lanes leading to the port entry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had no intention of going to the port of entry or Mexico. No signs were directing me where to turn or pull off to the side if I went too far or changed my mind,\u201d The resident stated.<\/p>\n<p>According to the resident, his only option was to continue with traffic flow and pray that the Mexican border agents would understand.<\/p>\n<p>He showed one border agent his Arizona driver\u2019s license and two other forms of ID.<\/p>\n<p>The heavily armed, masked agent did not speak English. The agent then spoke briefly in Spanish to his superior before waving the driver into San Luis Mexico.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5046820\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-5046820\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/San-Luis-border-crossing-600x385-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"385\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5046820\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/San-Luis-border-crossing-600x385-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"385\" \/><\/noscript> On June 5, 2006, cars headed to Mexico via the border crossing at San Luis (Arizona), in the United States. Every day, thousands cross the border from Mexico to work on the U.S. side. (Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Underneath a pile of papers on the front passenger seat of the resident\u2019s car was a loaded .22-caliber long rifle Beretta handgun the agents had failed to notice.<\/p>\n<p>The resident drove for 20 minutes around San Luis in search of the port of entry to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>All signs were written in Spanish, however.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFinally, I saw a sign in English welcoming me to the United States,\u201d He said.<\/p>\n<p>He explained to CBP agents how he ended up in Mexico at the checkpoint. When asked about firearms, he replied, \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The resident was led into a holding place by several border agents and placed in handcuffs.<\/p>\n<p>A Mexican agent assured the resident that he was not under arrest and would not face charges in the United States. However, he said that the Mexican authorities had not searched his vehicle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you tell them about the firearm?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d The resident stated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5046849\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-5046849\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-642648316-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5046849\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-642648316-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/noscript> The Douglas, Arizona, border crossing, US\/Mexico border, as seen from AguaPrieta (Sonora), on February 18, 2017.\u00a0(Guillermo Arias\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Knowing the strict Mexican laws regarding firearms is a great help in hindsight. \u201cI\u2019d probably be sitting in a Mexican prison right now,\u201d The Epoch Times was informed by the resident.<\/p>\n<p>Tania Pavlak, the public affairs specialist for the Yuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office, said getting stuck in the line of border traffic from San Luis, Arizona, into Mexico happens often.<\/p>\n<p>It happened about two years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was trying to find a business,\u201d Pavlak spoke. \u201cAs I was driving around and searching for the address, I took the street that takes you down to the border. The next thing I knew, I was behind cars, and there were cars behind me. I\u2019m like, \u2018What? Wait.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClear signage could prevent that. And also a last-minute \u2018out\u2019 area. Because it was like block after block [of cones], I expected a barricade not to be there or an area to turn into\u2014nope.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pavlak decided to get out of her car and move the traffic cone out of her way. She then maneuvered her car to the far left into a business lot to replace the cone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI decided I was not going to go [to Mexico],\u201d Pavlak spoke to The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>Antonio Harrison, Gilbert, Arizona, stated that Drew, his son, was on a trip with his fiancee, when their vehicle was stopped at the Arizona southern frontier, in Lukeville in May 2022.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5045126\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09\/20230202_140032-1200x1495.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-5045126\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_140032-600x747-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"747\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5045126\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_140032-600x747-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"747\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> Antonio Harrison examines Drew&#8217;s photos on February 2, 2023. (Allan Stein\/The Epoch Times).<\/figure>\n<p>Drew didn&#8217;t realize until too late that he had accidentally left an AK-47 (a handgun for target shooters) and ammunition in the car.<\/p>\n<p>Antonio claimed Drew faces up to 15 year imprisonment if convicted on weapon charges. He is currently awaiting the disposition of his case at a federal maximum-security prison in Hermosillo.<\/p>\n<p>His fiancee won&#8217;t be facing charges<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven when he got to the border, it didn\u2019t click that he had guns,\u201d Antonio said. \u201cWe expected to see both of them coming out together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Drew, 33, has been stuck in prison since Mother\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt took me almost two months before my paperwork was approved to go and see him,\u201d Antonio said.\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s broken down. It\u2019s like, \u2018Dad, I thought I\u2019d be out of here by now. What\u2019s going on?&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Karen from Tucson said that Mexican authorities stopped her vehicle randomly at a border crossing near Douglas, Arizona, on Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n<p>Police found small quantities of rifles in the Hummer&#8217;s trunk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere were three of them, I came to find out,\u201d Karen said. \u201cIt was an odd situation. I didn\u2019t know the guns were in there.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Since Fleeing, In Hiding<\/h2>\n<p>The rifles belonged to Karen\u2019s friend, who loaned Karen the use of the Hummer to cross the border to buy cigarettes in Mexico for less money.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was in a hurry,\u201d Karen said. \u201cI jumped in the Hummer and hit it to the Border Patrol station. The red light went off, and they sent me to a secondary\u201d Mexico Holding Facility<\/p>\n<p>Karen stated that she was considering two to three years imprisonment for illegal weapon charges. After her boyfriend posted her bond, she fled Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, she has been hiding.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a common but false mindset among Americans, Karen said. Before her arrest she believed that traveling through Mexico was easy as traveling across America, and that the two countries were almost identical in most aspects.<\/p>\n<p>She soon discovered stark differences in the United States&#8217;s approach to its citizenship. \u201ccommon law\u201d and Mexico\u2019s \u201cNapoleonic law,\u201d Where the accused is found guilty, until proven innocent.<\/p>\n<p>Karen explained that it often takes less time and costs less money to plead guilty in most cases and accept any sentence that the judge has imposed.<\/p>\n<p>Antonio Harrison stated that money, influence connections and even bribery are essential to quickly resolve criminal cases.<\/p>\n<h2>Long Prison Term<\/h2>\n<p>Drew, he said, is contemplating a long prison sentence for a crime that does not fall within the statutory punishment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe just had a newborn when this happened. He needed to get away on vacation. I said, \u2018Cool, man. Go and enjoy yourself,\u201d Antonio said.<\/p>\n<p>On Mother\u2019s Day, Drew\u2019s father-in-law, a former U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent, called Antonio on the phone to deliver the news that Drew was in jail.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou guys better get down here right away, to Hermosillo. Drew\u2019s in trouble,\u201d Antonio recalled him saying, and\u00a0thought, \u201cWhere in the hell is Hermosillo?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Drew is still in legal limbo, awaiting his sentence almost a year later.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what all these appeals are about,\u201d Antonio said.<\/p>\n<p>Each visit lasts for four hours and he visits his son once per month in prison. Drew can also make a weekly 10-minute phone call.<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018When They Smell Money\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThere are prosecutors\u2014when they smell money, they\u2019re not letting you go,\u201d Harrison shared his thoughts with The Epoch Times when he placed pictures of Drew on a dining table.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cListen, they don\u2019t care if you\u2019re innocent. They consider you guilty because you broke their law\u2014and they know you have money. It\u2019s like, \u2018It\u2019s time to pay.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Alaska Department of Fish and Game), approximately 200 to 300 hunters from the United States are taken into custody and fined each year for failing to report firearms or other weapons at Canada&#8217;s border. Many arrests are not reported.<\/p>\n<p>The State Department stated that it does not keep track on the number of Americans arrested and charged in Mexico with weapons violations.<\/p>\n<p>However, one of the agency\u2019s \u201chighest priorities\u201d To assist U.S. citizens detained outside of the United States.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWeapons laws in Mexico vary by state, but it is illegal for travelers to carry weapons of any kind\u2014including firearms and ammunition [even used shells]\u2014without a permit from the Mexican government,\u201d A spokesperson for the State Department said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIllegal firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico is a significant concern, and the Department of State warns all U.S. citizens against taking any firearm or ammunition into Mexico.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5045127\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09\/20230202_111153-1200x1171.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-5045127\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_111153-600x585-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"585\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5045127\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/20230202_111153-600x585-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"585\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> Maya Morsi of Scottsdale, Ariz., said on Feb. 2, 2023, she\u2019s glad to be back in the United States after a week in a prison in Mexico for illegal possession of a firearm. (Allan Stein\/The Epoch Times).<\/figure>\n<p>Ira Beavers, Glendale, Arizona was sentenced to almost three years imprisonment after he allegedly forgot the 9mm Glock in the car when he crossed the Arizona border into Mexico. This happened on July 30, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Francine Nicholson (his wife) was also in that vehicle, but was not charged.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cImagine going on vacation only not to make it to your destination and not to come home,\u201d said Nicholson\u2019s best friend, Deydra Stevenson, who set up a GoFundMe page and raised $15,480 to help pay Ira\u2019s legal expenses.<\/p>\n<p>Stevenson claimed that $7,500 was paid to an attorney hired by the U.S. consulate. However, Stevenson expected a completely different outcome.\u00a0Ira spent 17 days and nine months in prison for the crime. \u201cincompetence and dishonesty\u201d Stevenson spoke out about the Mexican legal system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe court didn\u2019t even allow Ira to bond out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ira\u2019s mother passed away while he was behind bars.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIra had never been in trouble a day in his life. He\u2019s had a speeding ticket, and look at what happened. They treated him like a criminal. Somebody needs to put their foot down,\u201d Stevenson said this to The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<h2>\u2018In Prison For Same Thing\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Stevenson stated that she received over 100 emails from Americans who knew someone in Mexico imprisoned on a firearms offense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2018Call me, please! My brother is in prison for the same thing.\u2019 It happens to me all the time,\u201d Stevenson stated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have so many people who have reached out to me. I try to help these people as much as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stevenson said that money and close ties to people with access to resources help move the court process along whereas prisoners who don\u2019t have these things are out of luck.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the key. If you have money, you\u2019re good. If you don\u2019t speak the language, you stay there for a long time. You have to know somebody. It\u2019s who you know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Both Drew Harrison and Beavers are African-American. Stevenson believes they were arrested due to racial profiling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think race had a lot to do with it,\u201d Stevenson stated.<\/p>\n<p>Stevenson had harsh words for Mexico\u2019s legal system for the way it handled NASCAR driver Kyle Busch\u2019s case after he was arrested and detained for taking a firearm into the country in January.<\/p>\n<h2>US Gun Permits Not Valid<\/h2>\n<p>Busch was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to more that three years in prison. He also received a $1,087 penalty.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unknown how the system will impose Busch\u2019s sentence to prison.<\/p>\n<p>According to the State Department, anyone found in Mexico with ammunition or firearms could be subject to severe penalties and even prison time.\u00a0The person being held should contact the Mexican authorities to inform the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate. \u201cor do so themselves if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The department\u2019s role includes prison visits, providing information on how to find an attorney, contacting the detainee\u2019s family and friends, and ensuring the incarcerated person receives humane treatment.<\/p>\n<p>However, the agency cannot represent U.S. citizens in court, pay legal fees, or obtain a U.S. citizen\u2019s release. The State Department stated that American gun permits are ineligible for Mexican use.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey [the Mexican courts] make it very difficult to defend yourself. They make it difficult for a lawyer to go and talk to you in prison,\u201d Eddy said. \u201cYou rely on outside resources like your family and your friends. I met people who didn\u2019t have families, friends, or people to reach out to.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Secure Release at $25,000<\/h2>\n<p>Eddy claimed that his February 2 release cost $25,000 He has about two years of probation\u2014a benefit given to first-time offenders\u2014left to serve and two more court appearances in Mexico later this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s good to be home again,\u201d Eddy said.<\/p>\n<p>His personal items, including his pickup truck and iPhone, as well as his MacBook Pro, are still held by Mexican authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Karen stated that she was in a \u201cstate of shock\u201d during her eight days spent in the women\u2019s prison in Hermosillo before her provisional release by a judge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonestly, I didn\u2019t know the gun laws were that way. I just went for a carton of cigarettes and wanted to come back,\u201d She said.<\/p>\n<p>Her boyfriend was released after posting bail. \u201cI fled the country,\u201d Karen said. \u201cI don\u2019t even know what the repercussions will be like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Karen said she walked across the border into the United States with only her clothes and a copy of her driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much money do you have on you?\u201d Morsi recalls that Eddy had $200 in his wallet when a National Guard soldier asked him.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4905240\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/12\/05\/19b76695-7e2d-4a40-a5f7-006a3a72baed.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-4905240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19b76695-7e2d-4a40-a5f7-006a3a72baed-600x450-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4905240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/19b76695-7e2d-4a40-a5f7-006a3a72baed-600x450-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> The Toronto police announced Dec. 5, 2022 that they had confiscated 62 illegal weapons as part a firearms trafficking investigation. (Toronto Police Handout)<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cOh, that should cover the mandatory medical inspection,\u201d The officer at the police station said.<\/p>\n<p>Eddy gave the money. He later discovered the service was entirely free.<\/p>\n<p>Morsi, like her boyfriend, had to forfeit her personal belongings\u2014an iPhone, a Cartier watch worth $10,000, a gold ankle bracelet, a Louis Vuitton purse with a $1,000 cash value, her $800 handgun\u2014and priceless peace of mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t even know where everything is at this point. Not in my wildest dreams [did] I think I\u2019d go through such trauma,\u201d Morsi stated.<\/p>\n<p>Morsi discovered that a Mexican court had sent her an 18-page notice to reopen her case.<\/p>\n<p>She was released without being charged because the notice stated that the judge made a mistake. She would have to stand before a judge to face new charges of being inside Eddy\u2019s vehicle when the couple got arrested.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have five days to respond. I don\u2019t know if I trust any of these lawyers anymore,\u201d Morsi stated.<\/p>\n<h2>Extradition Treaty<\/h2>\n<p>Karen claimed that a judge threatened to arrest her if she fled the country. He called her a flight risk, and said she was a danger to the country. \u201creach\u201d Included the United States.<\/p>\n<p>The 1978 extradition treaty between the United States of America and Mexico was signed for serious felony offenses such as murder or drug trafficking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t have money, you can\u2019t do anything,\u201d Morsi stated. \u201cTo this day, they\u2019re trying to revoke my freedom. They\u2019re trying us in separate cases. Mine is a whole new case. It\u2019s like a sub-case. The charges are the same.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t trust Mexico. I don\u2019t trust the lawyers helping us. Who should I trust? A prosecutor can keep investigating for as long as they want before you get sentenced on whatever charge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Morsi stated that she was optimistic about the Mexican court system. \u201cbigger fish to fry\u201d She is better than her case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you want to [deport] an American to Mexico for a gun they kept? They treat us like murderers. Like we\u2019re El Chapo. It\u2019s a simple gun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Morsi claimed that Eddy&#8217;s time in prison has made her feel more mature. \u201cfull of hate and anger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs much as we wanted to spend money in Mexico, we\u2019ll never return. Look what happened to us?\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Learn the laws of foreign countries<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cYou can see it in real life. The corruption is so bad. The judge is corrupt. The prosecutor. The lawyer. Everyone. You have no choice but to go with the flow. Whatever they want, that\u2019s what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomething needs to be done. If you think of the big picture, I thank God for Eddy,\u201d His family. \u201cIf I had been here alone, I would have lost my job. I would have lost my home; I would have lost my car. I would have had no one to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aaron Bowker, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson, said that citizens have the responsibility to be familiar with the laws in the country they will visit and to ensure they don&#8217;t carry illegal firearms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce you get to a certain point\u201d Border \u201cwe consider it a meaningful departure,\u201d Bowker stated. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of security at that point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf cars constantly made U-turns, keeping traffic flowing in one direction would be hard. When you\u2019re close to the point of entry, it can also become a security concern. Cars are funneling out\u2014that\u2019s it. You funnel out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bowker stated that travelers should be aware of their surroundings. \u201ccompletely honest and truthful\u201d Check with border officers to declare ammunition and firearms before entering a foreign country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen, you hope the situation works out for you. It\u2019s the best you can do,\u201d Bowker spoke to The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>Morsi, a web designer, claimed that her employer organized her return flight to Phoenix.<\/p>\n<p>It was an experience she will never be able to forget.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce the flight attendant said, \u2018Welcome to Phoenix, I started crying,\u201d Morsi stated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4821066\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/10\/26\/GettyImages-1240786914-1200x800.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-4821066\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-1240786914-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4821066\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-1240786914-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> An illegal alien is directed by the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing into the United States from Mexico via a gap in border wall that separates Algodones (Mexico) from Yuma (Arizona), on May 16, 2022. (Frederic J. Brown\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI was bawling. You have freedom here. I don\u2019t take it for granted, but you forget about our freedom [in America]. It\u2019s not like that in Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Antonio Harrison said Drew encountered other Americans languishing in prison for weapons possession, including a police officer, a nurse, an old high school buddy, several teachers, a doctor, and a truck driver\u2014in the months he\u2019s been in prison.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDrew told me there\u2019s a guy in there for one bullet, and they\u2019re talking about two years. It\u2019s a racket\u2014big time,\u201d said Antonio,\u00a0a musician, who gave Drew a Bible to lift his spirits.<\/p>\n<p>Antonio also published five songs on YouTube about his son\u2019s ordeal in Mexico. He\u00a0even wrote letters to President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, pleading for help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know what else to do,\u201d Antonio said. \u201cI\u2019m calling presidents and governments. No response\u2014nothing. Silence. It doesn\u2019t sound like anybody\u2019s listening. We\u2019re over here by ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know what I got? I got all this stuff about raising money. Can you donate to this? Can you donate that? Can you vote for that person? Gosh. They want all this from me, but I\u2019m asking them to help get my son out of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy eyes are wide open. The only help you get is from yourself and the people you know. We\u2019re just hoping to get him home soon. I can feel he\u2019s cracking,\u201d Antonio said.<\/p>\n<p>Antonio said he is willing to spend as much money as it takes\u2014however long it takes\u2014to buy Drew\u2019s release from prison.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTake his guns; give him a big fine. But don\u2019t take his life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.\u2014Maya Morsi and her boyfriend Eddy had been waiting in the holding area for hours. They were confused, hungry\u2014eager to be on their way to their vacation spot in the city of Rocky Point on the Gulf of California in Mexico. Morsi could see the sun setting through the window in the prosecutor\u2019s office, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1842415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[14612,4538,4528,9473,5471,15196,5370,5073,7238],"class_list":["post-1842412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-accidentally","tag-citizens","tag-facing","tag-firearms","tag-jail","tag-lengthy","tag-mexico","tag-time","tag-u-s"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1842412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1842412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1842412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1842415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1842412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1842412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1842412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}