On April 24, the United States Embassy in the Bahamas issued a strong warning to travelers headed to Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI): check your bags for forgotten firearms or stray ammunition before departing, or face the possibility of 12 years in prison.
This warning comes after the arrest of Virginia native Tyler Wenrich. Officials arrested Wenrich and took him into custody after they found two bullets in his backpack before he boarded a cruise ship. Wenrich is one of four Americans currently awaiting sentencing for possession of ammunition in TCI.
Strict firearms laws have led to the arrest of several Americans this year, and the State Department advises travelers to check their bags carefully for ammunition or weapons before departing.
The statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Nassau states, “If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, even inadvertently, we will not be able to secure your release from custody.”
Stricter Laws for Firearm Possession
Possession of a firearm or ammunition is prohibited in Turks and Caicos. Rigidly enforced punishments for violating the firearms ordinance have been in effect since 2022. That includes a minimum prison sentence of twelve years and a fine without limit for anyone found to possess a firearm or ammunition. Turks and Caicos residents have no constitutional right to bear arms.
Despite these stringent laws, tourists found in violation of TCI’s firearm laws in the past often received slap-on-the-wrist punishments. These tourists were routinely able to pay a reduced fine and go on their way without serving jail time. However, in February, the Court of Appeals ruled that the Supreme Court of TCI does not have the right to issue only a fine without jail time, even to tourists on their way out of the country.
An Innocent Mistake With Serious Consequences
The U.S. Embassy’s travel alert urges vacationers to double-check their bags because even inadvertent possession of a weapon or ammunition will be met with harsh consequences.
It’s a reminder that American travelers need to hear. All four U.S. citizens currently awaiting sentencing for possession of ammunition claim that the ammo was leftover from previous trips, and they weren’t aware that they were bringing it into TCI.
According to a Turks and Caicos newspaper, 40-year-old Pennsylvania native Bryan Hagerich was found to be in possession of 20 rounds of rifle bullets while at Providenciales International Airport, boarding a flight back to the U.S. Hagerich explained the bag he was carrying was the same one he often used for hunting trips. Hagerich posted bail but has been in Turks and Caicos since February, awaiting sentencing.
Ryan Watson, a 40-year-old father from Oklahoma, was arrested when officials found four rounds of hunting ammunition inside a plastic bag in his luggage. In an interview with Fox and Friends Weekend, Watson explained that the rounds were left in his carry-on bag from a hunting trip in Texas. Like Hagerich, Watson was at the airport preparing to fly back to the United States when officials found the ammunition in his luggage.
Watson is currently out on bail but, like Hagerich, must remain on the island. He and Wenrich will appear in court on May 7th.
A fourth American, 72-year-old Michael Lee Evans, was arrested and pled guilty to possession of seven rounds of ammunition in December. He is on bail in the United States for medical reasons and faces sentencing in June.
While the Court of Appeals ruled that the Court does not have the power to completely forgo a sentence of jail time, the judge may issue a custodial sentence of less than twelve years if there are exceptional circumstances. Hagerich will be the first person to face trial since the February ruling. The severity of his sentence is likely to set a precedent for the other tourists who are awaiting trial for possession of ammo.
Don’t Count on TSA To Find Ammo
In a statement to The Independent, 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.
“TSA is here to protect our transportation security systems, and an oversight occurred that the agency is addressing internally,” a TSA spokesperson told the British digital news company.
But that doesn’t absolve Watson’s answerability. The Embassy warning specifically addresses this. “TSA screening in the United States may not identify ammunition in your baggage; it is your responsibility to ensure your baggage is free of ammunition and/or firearms.”
Declaring a weapon does not make it legal, and traveling into Turks and Caicos with a declared weapon will still result in arrest.
Take Care When Traveling to Turks and Caicos
Travelers, especially those who regularly take hunting trips and pack bags with weapons or ammunition, should take the State Department’s alert seriously. Check bags carefully for any weapons or stray ammunition, and don’t rely on TSA screening to find these items.
