Another Tourist Arrested – NBC Boston

Another visitor to the Turks and Caicos Islands was arrested at Howard Hamilton International Airport on Monday after ammunition was allegedly found during a routine security check, Royal Turks and Caicos Islands police confirmed Tuesday.

The island’s police confirmed the latest arrest. Two media outlets on the island reported that it was an American woman, but police did not confirm this information. This would be the fifth American to be jailed there for ammunition possession in the last six months, and it came as Tyler Wenrich – one of the Americans currently jailed on the island on the same charge – was on trial.

Wenrich was in court on Monday. His father told NBC10 Boston the judge said he received a practice and direction order from the chief justice with an expedited timetable for the case.

U.S. officials apologize to the family of Michael Grimm, who is charged with violating the Turks and Caicos Islands ammunition possession law, for the way they handled the case and communicated with his mother.

Written arguments in the case will be filed within seven days, with oral arguments and a hearing now scheduled for next Tuesday. Wenrich’s sentencing could take place next week or May 28th at the latest.

Wenrich was arrested on April 20th. He was a passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and had taken a day trip on the Grand Turk. When he reboarded the ship, Royal Caribbean security found two bullets in his pocket and turned him over to TCI authorities.

By comparison, the cases of Michael Lee Evans of Texas, who was arrested in December, Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania, who was indicted in February, and Ryan Watson of Oklahoma, who was arrested in early April, are still ongoing. NBC10 Boston was the first to break the story of Watson and Hagerich’s incarceration.

The Wenrichs were given no explanation as to why the process was being expedited.

Hagerich is scheduled to be sentenced May 29 and Watson’s next court date is June 7.

Evans faces a court hearing currently scheduled for June 18.

All men face a possible 12 years in prison under TCI’s Firearms and Ammunition Act, but judges can consider exceptional circumstances.

The four men have all admitted to being in possession of bullets but say it was an innocent mistake.