What we know about the Americans arrested for bringing ammo to Turks and Caicos

Five Americans were arrested in Turks and Caicos within the past six months because of tightened gun control laws in the territory that make bringing in firearms or ammunition without prior permission from police a crime with a mandatory 12-year prison sentence.

Five Americans were arrested in Turks and Caicos within the past six months because of tightened gun control laws in the territory that make bringing in firearms or ammunition without prior permission from police a crime with a mandatory 12-year prison sentence. Michael Lee Evans, 72, of Texas; Sharitta Grier, 45, of Florida; Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania; Ryan Tyler Watson, 40, of Oklahoma and Tyler Wenrich, 31, of Virginia, were all accused of bringing various amounts of ammunition to Turks and Caicos, a 40-island chain southeast of the Bahamas. While some have pleaded guilty, paid fines or returned to the US, others await trial with the road ahead unclear. But what is clear: all have said the ammunition recovered from their luggage was not intentionally packed, according to American lawmakers petitioning for their expedited release. Here’s what we know so far about the Americans and the laws in Turks and Caicos: Even though the territory doesn’t manufacture firearms or ammunition, the number of firearms finding their way to the islands has increased, Turks and Caicos Premier Washington Misick said. And that’s a worry for the British Overseas Territory.