Father facing 12 years in Caribbean jail for ‘mistakenly’ carrying ammo in luggage after TSA ‘oversight’

Ryan Watson was detained after Turks & Caicos airport security found several large bullets in his luggage that he said had been accidentally left in a bag after a hunting trip. Now he is fighting for his freedom, reports Mike Bedigan

Ryan and Valerie Watson, pictured in Turks and Caicos, were returning home from vacation in April when they were arrested after airport security found four rounds of hunting ammunition in Mr Watson’s carry-on luggage (Valerie Watson)

An American man is facing up to 12 years in a Caribbean jail for accidentally taking ammunition onto an island resort, a mistake that has triggered an internal TSA investigation in the US.

Ryan Watson was returning from his 40th birthday vacation on 12 April when he was detained by police in the British territory of Turks and Caicos. Airport security found several large bullets from a hunting rifle in his carry-on luggage.

The penalty for travelling to Turks and Caicos with a firearm, ammunition, or other weapon can result in a minimum prison sentence of twelve 12 years, which is now what Mr Watson faces.

He must remain on the Caribbean island until trial in June - while his wife, Valerie Watson, flew home to Oklahoma to be with their children, Ellie, seven, and Van, nine. Mr Watson fears that his potential jail will cost him seeing his children grow up.

“I’ve never wanted something so badly in my life as badly as I want to see them,” he told The Independent on a joint phone call with his wife.

“It’s so hard to think about not being able to be there for all the life moments that they’ve got coming up, you know, birthdays and sporting events… teaching my son how to drive, taking my daughter to the dance, you know? [I’d] better not have to miss her walking down the aisle.

Ryan and Valerie Watson, pictured arriving in Turks and Caicos last month, were stopped by airport security on their way home from birthday celebrations in Turks & Caicos after hunting ammunition was found in their luggage (Valerie Watson)

“I try not to let my mind go there.”

Carrying ammunition on flights in carry-on luggage is prohibited, but may be transported in checked baggage, according to the TSA website.

The agency states that “firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm.”

However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms warns travellers on its website that “Declaring a weapon in your checked luggage with an airline carrier does not grant you permission to bring the weapon into other countries. It is the responsibility of the traveler to research local laws and complete all necessary forms prior to travel.”

And they note that “Many countries in the Caribbean do not allow possession of firearms or ammunition unless you have a local permit and, if arrested while traveling, the United States Embassy will not be able to secure your release.”

The TSA acknowledged that the four rounds of ammunition had not been picked up at the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma, where the Watsons had flown out from, and said that it was conducting an internal investigation into the “oversight”.

“TSA is here to protect our transportation security systems, and an oversight occurred that the agency is addressing internally,” a TSA spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Independent.

“We encourage passengers to start packing with an empty bag, and when traveling internationally, to be cognizant of local laws.” TSA did not provide further information about how the ammunition had been missed during Mr Watson’s security screening.

Ms Watson said that she currently does not feel that it would be safe for her or the couple’s children to return to Turks and Caicos.

“I feel like there’s a lot of attention on him.”I’m still in touch with him and text messaging him making sure he’s okay, you know, and I just don’t feel safe. I don’t think Ryan feels safe with me and the kids coming there right now,” she said.

Mr Watson said: “We mean that in the most soft-hearted way possible. We’re not saying that to bash the island but like, if we’re being extremely honest, I don’t feel safe with them here. My number one job as a husband and a father is to protect them. And I want to mitigate any risk. Our goal is to get me home with my kids… and just find the quickest resolution possible.”

Charges against Valerie Watson, pictured, were later dropped and she was permitted to return home to her children in Oklahoma (NBC News)

On TSA’s announcement that they would be investigating the incident, he added: “I’m glad to hear they are taking action because it’s important that this avoidable situation doesn’t happen to any other Americans or other tourists.”

Airport security in Turks and Caicos found several rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor specialist hunting ammunition in Mr Watson’s bag. Mr Watson has said that the bullets in his bag had been left over from a previous hunting trip and that the rounds, which cost about $3 each, are not the typical type used in “violent crimes”.

“I’ve said this a bunch of times, that that is such a specific round that I would be willing to make a large wager that there’s not a rifle that can fire that round within 1,000 miles of here. It takes a very specific rifle to fire that,” he said.

Initially, both Mr Watson and his wife were arrested but the charges against her were later dropped.

Since posting the $15,000 bail, Mr Watson has been living in an Airbnb on the island with his parents and another man, Bryan Hagerich.

Mr Hagerich faces similar charges of possessing ammunition and is due to appear in court on Thursday. Mr Watson said that, due to the similarity of the cases, he feels like is also going on trial on Thursday.

“We’re gonna be in that courtroom supporting him as best we can,” he said. “My mom has adopted him as one of her own.”

Mr Watson is out on bail because a Turks and Caicos islander who owns a restaurant put his business up as collateral, or “surety”, for him, a necessary requirement on those the courts consider a potential flight risk.

The Watsons pictured during their April vacation in Turks and Caicos. Ms Watson was released by authorities on the island, but her husband must remain there until his trial in June (Valerie Watson)

Mr Watson said the man who put up his asset was a local restaurant owner who was “a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend”.

“We never met the person before,” he said. “Somebody made a phone call… They said, ‘Hey, there’s some Americans that are in a nightmarish situation. Would you be willing to help?

“So he had us out. We went to his restaurant, we sat down with them, complete strangers, and within 20 minutes, he stood up, shook my hand and said ‘Man, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna help you out’.”

Ms Watson added that the US embassy in Turks and Caicos “hasn’t really been able to do a whole lot” but that he had been in touch with Oklahoma state representatives, including having a personal phone call with Senator James Lankford/

“Everybody [is] working around the clock for us to try and get letters, character reference letters, and different things to try to help us,” she said.

A GoFundMe page started by friends and family has now reached almost $220,000 as of Wednesday “It’s hard not to get emotional,” Mr Watson said.