One oklahoma man He told “Fox & Friends” after returning home that his faith helped his family escape a “worrisome” situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison after four stray bullets were found in his luggage.
Ryan Watson, 40, of Edmond, was arrested at the country’s main airport in April after he accidentally left ammunition in his carry-on bag.
After months of negotiations, including a bipartisan congressional delegation to Turks and Caicos in May, Watson received 13 weeks of suspended imprisonment. jail sentence A fine of $2,000 — or $500 per pill — will be imposed on Friday, according to family spokesman Jonathan Franks.
Turks and Caicos changes stance on ammunition law, lands American tourist in jail
Ryan Watson kisses his wife, Valerie Watson, outside a courthouse in Turks and Caicos on Friday, June 21, 2024. The Oklahoma man was facing up to 12 years in prison in Turks and Caicos after authorities found stray bullets in his luggage. (Jonathan Franks/Lucid Strategies)
Watson and his wife, Valerie, appeared on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday, where they praised their faith and local lawmakers for helping them get home.
“Our faith is so strong that I don’t know if we would have gotten through this any other way,” Valerie said. “I mean, God definitely carried us and we saw Him work in every aspect of this whole thing from the beginning.”
the couple said Oklahoma Sens. Markwayne Mullin and James Lankford, along with Governor Kevin Stitt, were instrumental in securing Ryan’s release and repatriation.
“They all worked day and night that first weekend and didn’t stop working until Ryan got back to Oklahoma,” Valerie said. “So they worked really hard for us. And, you know, Senator Mullin put together the divisional delegation and it was really effective. I think it put a lot of pressure on TCI to rethink some of the ways they were handling things on the island.”
Watson said he went hunting in Texas last year but did not remember ever putting bullets in a bag. He said the bullets were found under a lining in his bag.
Watson said, “I didn’t realize it, but that duffel bag has a lining, there’s a zipper, and they somehow managed to get under that lining.” He did not have a gun and previously told Fox News Digital that he had no intention of bringing ammunition on his vacation.
The island nation has strict rules and harsh penalties for those who carry ammunition. There is no constitutional right to carry firearms in Turks and Caicos, and the law prohibits anyone from possessing, carrying, discharging, or using firearms or ammunition without a license.
Watson said it was horrifying to think he would be sentenced to 12 years in prison.
“None of it made sense … it got alarming very quickly,” he told “Fox & Friends.”
Speaking to reporters on Friday, he also thanked him for his faith.
“This is a prayer that’s come true … I’ve been praying for this for 70 days,” Watson said. “It’s just unbelievable to see God work like this.”
Ryan told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) later admitted it failed to identify the bullets as they left the U.S. Watson criticized the U.S. Embassy in Turks and Caicos and said it did not help him.
From left to right, Valerie Watson stands next to her husband, Ryan Watson, who is holding his passport and posing with his mother Susan Fendley and stepfather Terry Fendley, in Turks and Caicos on Friday, June 21, 2024. Ryan Watson was detained on charges of possessing ammunition in the island nation. (Jonathan Franks/Lucid Strategies)
“They did nothing … and that really made me realize that there are probably a lot of families overseas who are affected and who are not getting any help or care from the State Department.”
A State Department spokesperson earlier told Fox News Digital that the Department of State and US embassies and consulates abroad make the safety of American citizens abroad their top priority.
The spokesperson said that whenever a US citizen is detained in a foreign country, the State Department seeks immediate access to that person.
The spokesperson said that when a US citizen is arrested abroad, the State Department stands ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. He said that US citizens are generally subject to the laws of a foreign country when traveling there, even if those laws differ from the laws of the US.
Due to confidentiality, the State Department did not comment further on the Americans recently arrested in Turks and Caicos.
After the sentencing, the judge urged American travelers to Turks and Caicos to double-check their bags and asked the TSA to conduct screenings of outbound passengers.
Watson is one of at least five Americans arrested this year for violating Turks and Caicos’ ammunition law.
The country’s parliament unanimously agreed this month to revise the new ordinance following “substantial criticism” from US lawmakers. Newsline TCI reports,
Opposition Leader of Parliament Edwin Astwood said, “This legislative change is an important step in ensuring that our legal system is both just and resilient.” The Sun TCI, Another local newspaper said, “It recognizes that not all cases are the same and that our judges must have the ability to consider all factors and impose a sentence that is truly just and appropriate.”
The goal, he said, is to uphold the rule of law — but also to distinguish between real threats and people who make mistakes.
Five Americans have been arrested since February for allegedly carrying ammunition into airports in Turks and Caicos. Left to right: Michael Lee Evans (no photo), Brian Hegerich, Tyler Weinrich, Ryan Watson and Sharita Grier. (Turks and Caicos Police/Dimitrios Kambouris)
Other Americans charged under the ordinance include Brian Hegerich, a 39-year-old Pennsylvania resident, a father of two and former professional baseball player. He is home after more than 100 days in jail after the court agreed to let him pay a $6,500 fine and avoid jail time.
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Michael Lee Evans, 72, of Texas, pleaded guilty to possessing seven rounds of ammunition. The Sun TCIHe was still awaiting sentencing but was allowed to return to the United States because of a serious illness, according to officials.
Tyler Weinrich, of Virginia, was released in May after paying a $10,000 fine. of FloridaShe is also awaiting her punishment.
Fox News’ Audrey Conklin and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
