This American was fined $500 per bullet he accidentally took on Turks and Caicos vacation

Tatiana Arias and Holly Yan, CNN

(CNN) — One of respective Americans precocious charged pinch having ammunition successful Turks and Caicos is expected to spell location aft a tribunal issued a suspended condemnation and fined him $2,000.

Ryan Tyler Watson of Oklahoma pleaded blameworthy past period to possessing 4 rounds of ammunition, a spokesperson for nan authorities of Turks and Caicos said. He had been released connected bail and ordered to enactment connected nan islands while awaiting this sentence.

On Friday, Watson received a 13-week suspended condemnation and a $2,000 good – $500 per bullet, a spokesperson for nan Turks and Caicos Islands Supreme Court told CNN connected Friday.

Watson will not request to service nan 13-week condemnation “as agelong arsenic he doesn’t perpetrate immoderate crimes and keeps nan bid successful nan TCI wrong 9 months,” nan tribunal spokesperson said. Watson “is now allowed to time off … arsenic he’s now cleared pinch nan justness successful nan TCI.”

Watson is expected to return to Oklahoma City by Friday night, according to Jonathan Franks, a spokesperson for Bring Our Families Home.

“We will make costs shortly, depart TCI and expect being location successful OKC tonight,” Franks posted connected X from nan courthouse.

Watson was visiting Turks and Caicos pinch his woman successful April to observe respective friends’ 40th birthdays. But bringing firearms aliases ammunition into Turks and Caicos without anterior support from constabulary is “strictly forbidden.”

The British Overseas Territory doesn’t manufacture guns aliases ammunition, yet nan number of firearms making their measurement to nan islands has increased, Turks and Caicos Premier C. Washington Misick said successful May. By contrast, nan United States has much guns than people.

“In nan Turks and Caicos Islands, nan rule stands patient and applies to everyone equally, without exception,” Misick said successful a connection past month.

Turks and Caicos precocious revised portion of its firearms rule aft a bipartisan group of US Congress members traveled to nan islands southeast of nan Bahamas and asked officials to driblet charges against 5 Americans whom they said “inadvertently” had ammunition successful their luggage.

The caller amendment clarifies erstwhile sentencing for firearms-related offenses, courts person nan discretion to enforce either a fine, a custodial sentence, aliases a substance of some successful exceptional circumstances.

Previously, nan rule required courts to enforce some a good and a situation condemnation of 12 years – though it allowed reduced sentences nether “exceptional circumstances.”

Watson is nan first of those 5 Americans to beryllium sentenced nether nan amended firearms law, which went into effect Wednesday.

What’s happened to nan different Americans

At slightest 4 different Americans person precocious been arrested successful Turks and Caicos connected charges of having ammunition.

Bryan Hagerich is backmost successful nan United States aft receiving a suspended 52-week condemnation and a $6,700 fine. Hagerich was allowed to time off nan territory and return to nan US aft he paid nan fine, his lawyer Oliver Smith said.

Tyler Wenrich pleaded blameworthy and was sentenced to clip served and issued a $9,000 fine, according to tribunal records.

Michael Lee Evans pleaded blameworthy to possession of 7 9 mm rounds of ammunition, and was scheduled to beryllium sentenced Tuesday – though it is unclear based connected tribunal records if nan sentencing happened. CNN has reached retired to his lawyer for much information.

And Sharitta Shinese Grier is expected to plead blameworthy successful tribunal adjacent Tuesday, her lawyer Sheena C. Mairto told CNN.

The Florida mother said she had nary thought 2 rounds of ammunition were astatine nan bottommost of her luggage erstwhile she traveled to Turks and Caicos, according to CNN connection WFTV.

Grier was released connected bail but can’t time off nan islands until her lawsuit ends, nan connection reported. She was besides ordered to study to a constabulary position weekly.