Oklahoma man returning home after Turks and Caicos ammunition sentencing
An Edmond man will be returning home this weekend after facing charges in Turks and Caicos for ammunition found in his suitcase back in April.
Ryan Watson pleaded guilty to having four bullets in his carry-on suitcase, which were found when Watson and his family were at the airport attempting to fly back to Oklahoma. Watson is one of several Americans who have had ammunition found in their luggage when leaving the islands over the past several months.
He was facing up to 12 years in prison.
"It's still nerve-wracking regardless of how those outcomes were. There's still a lot at stake," Watson told ABC News earlier this week. "I've definitely [got] a lot more hope and faith today than I did two months ago because two months ago the conversation was very different. Two months ago, it was, 'This is a sure thing, and you're going to jail for 12 years, no ifs, ands or buts.' That was told to us and repeated to us over and over again from people here on the islands."
Friday morning at 10 a.m., Watson, who has remained in Turks and Caicos on bail since being charged, attended his sentencing with his wife, Valerie. He received 13 weeks of imprisonment suspend for nine months and a $2,000 fine, $500 for each bullet, according to spokesperson Jonathan Franks.
“We will make payment shortly, depart TCI and anticipate being home in OKC tonight.,” Franks tweeted following the sentencing.”
Franks tweeted that the judge found that the case had exceptional circumstances and the 12-year maximum would be arbitrary.
"I am glad to see that Ryan Watson will finally be allowed to return home to his family, but this whole fiasco should have never happened in the first place,” said Oklahoma Rep. Josh Brecheen, who has traveled to the islands to discuss the detained American's with the Turks and Caicos government. “The threat of a 12-year prison sentence for accidentally leaving a few bullets in your bag is not justice. Thankfully, Turks and Caicos has now repealed this draconian law. No American should ever again have to go through what Ryan Watson and the four other detainees had to go through for making a simple mistake.”
On June 14, the Turks and Caicos House of Assembly approved an amendment to Section 30 of the Firearms Ordinance allowing more discretion when sentencing for firearm offenses.
Before, the court was obligated to sentence both jail time and a fine. Now, when the case has “exceptional circumstances,” the court has the discretion to impose a fine, imprisonment or both.
Two other American tourists facing similar charges received their sentences and have returned to the U.S. in the past month, according to ABC News. Tyler Wenrich, of Virginia, was sentenced to time served and a $9,000 fine. Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, received a 52-week suspended sentence with a $6,700 fine.
Sharitta Grier, of Orlando, was charged with having ammunition in her luggage back in May and is on bail but still on the island, waiting more court proceedings.
