Brian McDonald
Three U.S. governors this week called on Turks and Caicos to show mercy to Americans trapped on the islands as a Florida woman became the fifth tourist from the US be charged with possession of ammunition. Four of the detained Americans admitted they brought the ammunition – but by mistake.
The governors of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Oklahoma sent a joint letter on Tuesday addressed to the governor of Turks and Caicos, asking her to reconsider charges against three Americans from their states who currently face possible 12-year prison sentences – Bryan Hagerich, Tyler Wenrich It is Ryan Watson.
“Like thousands of Americans every year, these individuals traveled to their beautiful territory in search of recreation,” the governors wrote. “We humbly ask that your government – in its wisdom – temper justice with mercy and recognize that these men made mistakes but had no apparent malicious intent.”
The lawmakers’ plea came as the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police confirmed that another American, 45-year-old Sharitta Shinise Grier of Orlando, Florida, was charged with one count of possession of ammunition after two cartridges were allegedly discovered in his luggage on Monday. during a routine search at Howard Hamilton International Airport.
Grier, who was returning to Florida when she was arrested, appeared in court Thursday, police said. His next hearing will be on July 5th.
The National Rifle Association on Thursday urged the U.S. State Department to “use any means necessary to return U.S. citizens to America.”
The State Department, which said it was aware of Grier’s arrest, warned Americans traveling to the territory to “carefully check their luggage for missing ammunition or forgotten weapons before departing the United States,” noting that “declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline does not grant permission to bring the weapon into the Turks and Caicos Islands and will result in your arrest.”
Possessing a gun or ammunition is prohibited in Turks and Caicos, but previously tourists could only pay a fine. That changed in February, when a court order required even tourists to face mandatory prison time in addition to paying a fine.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske told CBS News that U.S. screeners occasionally overlook Americans with ammunition in their carry-on luggage because screeners look at many hundreds of images during their shift rotations.
The TSA confirmed to CBS News that its officers lost four rounds of hunting ammunition in Watson’s carry-on luggage when he and his wife departed Oklahoma City in April.
“To me, the solution here is to make more technological assistance available to them,” Pekosek told CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave, pointing to software that would be able to identify ammunition casings, firearm parts and several knives.
“We will never be able to stop everything we want to stop,” he said, recommending that travelers empty and repack their carry-on bags before heading to the airport to ensure no stray bullets follow them.
—Kris Van Cleave and Elizabeth Campbell contributed reporting.
