A man from Oklahoma who was detained on bond in Turks and Caicos on serious charges is still unable to return home.
Tuesday marked Valerie Watson’s first hug with her kids in weeks, but her husband Ryan is still imprisoned on the islands after a holiday that turned into a nightmare. Valerie stated that she was scheduled to return home on Friday, April 12, after she and Ryan travelled to Turks and Caicos for a 40th birthday celebration.But that didn’t happen since four bullets were discovered in their luggage.
“From the minute we left our house, everything was in that bag. It passed OKC security inspection. It was never reported to the TSA,” Valerie stated. After their holiday, the couple’s elation about seeing their kids at home swiftly turned into mayhem when security saw anything suspicious about their carry-on bag. “A little Ziplock bag with something gold inside was pulled out by them. I was unable to identify what it was, stated Valerie. “I questioned, ‘What are those?’ looking at Ryan. And he said, “I think those are my bullets—I’m hunting deer.”
According to Valerie, they were unaware that the bullets were there and that they had been left there from a prior hunting expedition. In Turks and Caicos, this is a serious felony, and the pair was taken into custody. Two locals have since posted “surety bonds,” allowing them to be released from prison. During their vacation, one of the locals drove them, and the other was an unknown local restaurant owner.
Because these folks are total strangers to us and are taking a significant risk, it is really humbling that they are willing to assist us in this situation, Valerie remarked. “All I want people to understand is that we are not evil people. It was really an honest error. Actually, Ryan is a responsible gun owner. He truly is. We possess a safe. Everywhere is always secured. It was a genuine oversight.
While Ryan is free on bond, his wife stated that he might spend up to 12 years in prison and that his future is uncertain. “It’s difficult to believe that Ryan might spend twelve years in prison for four hunting shots. That’s our reality right now, which I can’t even begin to comprehend,” Valerie remarked. Airport operator Will Rogers World stated they could not comment on this.
Ryan’s next court date is June 7.
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