An American charged with carrying ammunition in Turks and Caicos gets suspended 52-week sentence, his advocate says

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: CNN

An American charged with carrying ammunition in Turks and Caicos gets suspended 52-week sentence, his advocate says

By Holly Yan and Michael Rios, CNN
3 minute read * Updated 11:54 AM EDT, Fri May 24, 2024


Bryan Hagerich is seen in an undated photo. From Hagerich Family/WPXI

(CNN} — The first of several Americans recently charged with possession of ammunition in Turks and Caicos received a suspended 52-week sentence and was fined $6,700 on Friday, according to Jonathan Franks, spokesperson for Bring Our Families Home Campaign, an organization that helps wrongfully detained Americans secure release.

Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania had pleaded guilty to the charge, the Turks and Caicos govenrment said. In the Caribbean island territory, possession of firearms or ammunition carries a minimum 12-year sentence, though the law allows judges to impose a reduced sentence under “exceptional circumstances,” the local governor said.

Hagerich is one of five Americans arrested in recent months in the British Overseas Territory. Each is accused of bringing various amounts of ammunition to the 40-island chain in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/24/americas/turks-and-caicos-ammunition-american-sentencing/index.html

[cloudbase]

1. I must be missing the part about him being wrongfully detained.

[Crowman2009]

2. Is this one of those gun nuts who think the 2nd amendment applies to other countries?

Not a very responsible good guy with a gun IMO.

[former9thward]

14. He did not have a gun.

He had a couple bullets in a piece of luggage.

[ZonkerHarris]

3. moron got lucky. hope he knows it.

[maxsolomon]

4. Whoopsie!

"I forgot to check my suitcase for bullets, your honor". How do gunners "inadvertently" pack ammunition in their suitcases? Did they think they were traveling domestically? Did they just never unpack their dirty clothes and sundries from their last trip to the gunner festival?

Hopefully he's excluded from the territory forever.

[RobinA]

13. Well, Don't You

have a few artifacts rattling around in your luggage from bygone days? Personally, I still find tampons from time to time and I'm 67. I'd like to say I'd keep better account of ammo. If I ever owned any, which I have not.

[maxsolomon]

19. Not really.

My luggage gets completely emptied when I'm back from a trip.

[SpankMe]

5. People can be careless assholes

There's this idiot, and also Brittany Griner (who left a pot vape pen in her luggage when travelling to Russia). Probably others.

Before they embark on foreign travel, Americans must be sure their luggage doesn't "accidentally" contain any item from prior travel that could be illegal in other countries - drugs, weapons, candy, etc.

Step 1 in packing to leave the country should be - empty out the suitcase completely before re-populating it with stuff. Verify every compartment within the suitcase is empty. That's not too much trouble when the consequence might be prison for years in a foreign country.

I'm glad the guy got off as I do believe it was an oversight. But, we mustn't be so high on ourselves and our "freedoms" that we expect flexibility in other countries when we do an oopsie. Griner wouldn't have fared so well if she had a marijuana vape pen in her luggage in Turkey or Saudi Arabia.

[DiceK]

12. Not defending

But think part of his confusion is based on The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows ammunition in checked baggage, but not in carry-on baggage. There was a story on him a few weeks back.

I don't really give a shit but thought is was relevant to mention it is legal to do this in the States.

[SpankMe]

17. I understand, but...

The guy was careless anyway. Confusion about domestic vs. international is just an excuse.

Anyone with enough of a job, money, smarts and ability to get a passport and book international travel must have enough intelligence and life experience to know that different rules likely apply outside the US.

Whether people are confused about TSA rules or not, you have to be sure your luggage is empty and start packing from scratch when packing for foreign travel.

On the TSA web site here, at the bottom of the page in bold font, the TSA says:

"Before leaving home, travelers are encouraged to check their baggage to ensure they are not traveling with any prohibited items including firearms, firearm parts and ammunition to avoid a possible arrest or civil penalties." I'd add "...or criminal penalties when traveling abroad...".

If the guy looked at TSA rules for ammo, but somehow didn't see the warning above (which appears in the footer of several TSA web pages) than my sympathies are his situation are tepid.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. How was he 'wrongfully detained"?

[Deep State Witch]

7. I'll Bet That He Was Saying That Britney Griner

Deserved what she got.

[angrychair]

8. Turks and Caicos is folding to pressure

From the State Dept and Congress that has threatened to declare travel warnings and other penalties if they didn't drop all charges on these people that apparently cannot follow the law.
Makes me sick that we are bullying small island nations to demand that American citizens be above the law.
Some of our actions, from Gaza to Turks and Caicos, not a good look at all but I realize it would be much worse if TSF becomes president

[former9thward]

15. They are dependent on tourism.

Completely. If American tourists thought there was an issue with visiting the islands their economy would dry up. The State Department and Congress had no need to threaten anyone. It is just pure economics.

[angrychair]

18. They did threaten them

Both from the state dept and members of Congress.

Also you say this like it's a good thing. So just because we are Americans we should be able to go to other countries and violate their laws with no consequences?!?

[former9thward]

20. Your opinion that they threatened them.

Do you have quotes? And there were consequences. It was a $7,200 fine which is a heck of a lot more than a similar violation in the U.S.

[angrychair]

21. Yes, there are quotes

Has nothing to do with "a similar violation in the US" because you know, it's not the US.
The State Dept issued a warning in April making it clear:

If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, even inadvertently, we will not be able to secure your release from custody.

To be clear TCI changed their law on this over two years ago so it's not that new.

People ignored the warnings and keep doing it.

Despite that the US sent an entire Congressional delegation demanding their release like they were hostages. They even threatened that to ban travel and US based businesses to the country with Sen Mullin of Oklahoma saying:

Mullin said the next step might be warning American citizens about traveling and doing business in Turks and Caicos.

That's a significant threat. They are willing to destroy an entire nation's economy because Americans don't think laws apply to them. I find the arrogance and audacity in line with the normal MAGA cult thinking that laws we don't agree with can just be ignored. It tracks with their cult leader.

It's also interesting that no where are we taking the blame that people got through TSA in the US with live ammunition.


Reference: https://www.wsaz.com/video/2024/05/24/blinken-would-work-with-congress-bringing-home-americans-detained-turks-caicos/

[former9thward]

22. It is not a violation to take ammo in checked baggage in the U.S. on flights.

And no one is expected to know the laws of other countries about such petty stuff. And you are implying the State Dept. is MAGA. BS.

[twodogsbarking]

9. You stupid fuck you wasted a lot of peoples' time. Asshole.

[SweetT]

10. So privilege

is now used to claim a gunhumper was "wrongly detained"? How is it wrongful IF he is charged and convicted and sentenced? I see all this turning very sour in the near future. Either for the organization or for American tourists. He was detained correctly, prosecuted, convicted on evidence and even given a sweetheart deal to prove the point!!!

[former9thward]

16. What privilege?

[onetexan]

11. Some T&C official got paid.