American arrested on Turks and Caicos Islands for having ammunition in his bag receives 52 months probation

An American tourist who arrested on the Turks and Caicos Islands earlier this year for possession of ammunition, was given a 52-month suspended sentence on Friday and was expected to be released, a spokesman posted on social media. Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania was one of several Americans He faces a minimum sentence of 12 years in prison on British territory for munitions offences.

According to Hagerich’s spokesman Jonathan Franks, the judge concluded that there were exceptional circumstances in this case and that the long sentence was arbitrary. The father of two children must also pay a fine of $6,700.

Hagerich had pleaded guilty to possessing 20 rifle cartridges, according to the Turks and Caicos Islands government. He was arrested in February when the ammunition was found in his checked luggage, and he said he spent eight nights in jail before being released on bail.

“Honestly, those were some of the darkest, toughest times of my life,” Hagerich told CBS News last month.

Hagerich told news agencies that he did not know he had brought the hunting ammunition with him on a family vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but recognized it when authorities found it in his bag.

Three more American‘ cases are pending in the archipelago southeast of the Bahamas. A fifth American, who was also recently charged, was allowed to return home for medical reasons.

In a similar case last year, an Indiana man spent more than five months in prison.

“No clean running water, you’re exposed to the environment 24/7, mosquitoes and tropical diseases are a real danger,” Michael Grim told CBS News.

Kris Van Cleave contributed reporting.

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