Instead, the senators and representatives traveled south to convince island officials to release a group of Americans held for simply having a few rounds of ammunition in their luggage.
Not weapons, merely ammo. And none of the ammo carried by either of the five travelers was detected by U.S. officials as they left the country.
But the American citizens face far more than a slap on the wrist for their inadvertent mistakes while on vacation. By law, each faces a minimum of twelve years in prison under the draconian statutes put in place by Turks and Caicos officials.
Pleas for the release of the five U.S. tourists came from Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), and Reps. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Bob Good (R-VA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA).
Each of the five Americans faces more than a decade behind bars after the ammo was discovered as they were leaving the islands.
Fetterman expressed his optimism for finding a resolution in the cases. “We had the opportunity to meet each of the detained Americans, who were in good spirits but want to go home. These people did not set out to break the law. They are people who made a mistake and now face substantial time in prison because of it.”
The freshman senator added that the lawmakers urged island officials to be “lenient.”
One of those tourists, Tyler Wenrich of Virginia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of ammunition possession during a court hearing. He is an EMT and 911 dispatcher from Louisa County who was celebrating a friend’s bachelor party when the ship made a stop in Grand Turk.
As he attempted to return to the vessel, security discovered two hunting bullets in his backpack. Sentencing is expected within the next week.
Wenrich expressed his worry over the court proceedings. “I have a lot of fear and anxiety. You know, the best outcome to this is that the judge will find leniency and compassion in this situation, and steer away from the 12-year sentence and be able to give a sentence that is less than that and a fine, hopefully.”
The American arrested most recently is 45-year-old Sharitta Shinise Grier of Orlando. She was in the Turks with her two daughters on May 13 for Mother’s Day when she underwent a routine baggage inspection at Howard Hamilton International Airport.
Two rounds of ammunition were found in her luggage. Instead of catching her Southwest Airlines flight back home, Grier was charged with a single count of possession of ammunition and released from custody on $15,000 bail.
Like Wenrich, she was ordered to stay on the island as her case is adjudicated.
The mother is licensed to carry her firearm in Florida, and the bag in which the rounds were found is the one that normally holds her firearm in Orlando. Grier’s attorney, Leanna Brooks-Campbell acknowledged to the court that possession of the ammunition is a serious offense on the islands.
However, she described the presence of the two bullets as “an honest mistake.”
Grier must now remain on the Turks and Caicos Islands until at least July 5, when her next court appearance is scheduled.
The other Americans include Ryan Watson of Oklahoma, who was discovered to have hunting bullets in his carry-one bag. Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania already pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing for having 20 rounds of ammunition.
Michael Lee Evans of Texas pleaded guilty to have seven rounds of 9mm ammunition in his belongings. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18.
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