An Edmond man will return home this weekend after facing charges in Turks and Caicos for ammunition found in his suitcase in April.
Ryan Watson pleaded guilty to having four bullets in his carry-on bag, which were found when Watson and his family were at the airport trying to fly back to Oklahoma. Watson is one of several Americans who found ammunition in their luggage as they left the islands in recent months.
He faced up to 12 years in prison.
“It’s still stressful regardless of what those results were. There’s still a lot at stake,” Watson told ABC News earlier this week. “I definitely [got] much more hope and faith today than 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 prison for 12 years, no ifs, ands, or buts.’ This has been told to us and repeated countless times by people here on the islands.”
Friday morning at 10 a.m., Watson, who has remained in Turks and Caicos on bond since being charged, attended the sentencing with his wife, Valerie. He received 13 weeks in prison suspended for nine months and a $2,000 fine, $500 for each bullet, according to spokesman Jonathan Franks.
“We will make payment soon, depart TCI and be home in OKC tonight.”, Franks tweeted after the sentencing.”
Franks tweeted that the judge found the case had exceptional circumstances and that the 12-year maximum was arbitrary.
“I’m happy to see that Ryan Watson will finally be allowed to return home to his family, but this whole fiasco should never have happened,” said Oklahoma Rep. Josh Brecheen, who traveled to the islands to discuss the detained Americans with the government. from Turks and Caicos “The threat of a 12-year prison sentence for accidentally leaving some bullets in your bag is not justice. Fortunately, Turks and Caicos has now repealed this draconian law. go through what Ryan Watson and the other four detainees had to go through for making a simple mistake.”
On June 14, the Turks and Caicos Republic Assembly approved an amendment to Section 30 of the Firearms Ordinance, allowing greater discretion in sentencing for firearms crimes.
Previously, the court was obliged to sentence a prison sentence and a fine. Now, when the case has “exceptional circumstances”, the court has the power to impose a fine, imprisonment or both.
Two other American tourists facing similar charges received sentences and returned to the U.S. last month, according to ABC News. Tyler Wenrich of Virginia was sentenced to prison time and a $9,000 fine. Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania received a 52-week suspended sentence and a $6,700 fine.
Sharitta Grier, of Orlando, was accused of having ammunition in her luggage in May and is out on bail but still on the island awaiting further court proceedings.
