Pennsylvania Dad Detained For 100 Days In Turks & Caicos For Carrying Ammunition In His Luggage Accuses State Dept. Of ‘Not Being On His Side’

Bryan Hagerich, a father from Pennsylvania who was detained in Turks and Caicos for carrying ammunition in his luggage, accused the island’s government of “anti-American sentiment.”

He claims he was not aware that the ammo was in his suitcase when he was ready to fly home after a vacation with his family, but he had to argue his way out of a minimum 12-year sentence for the crime nonetheless.

The Pennsylvanian father appeared in court in Turks and Caicos in early May and was informed that he needed to remain on the islands for another three weeks until he was sentenced.

Hagerich is one of a number of Americans held on ammunition charges in Turks & Caicos.

Hagerich has been home for almost two weeks after he was arrested and detained for over 100 days in Turks and Caicos for having stray ammunition in his luggage at an airport on the islands.

A judge ultimately ordered him to pay a $6,500 fine and let him return home. 

Hagerich spoke up to Fox News Digital about the lack of support he received from the State Department and what he called “anti-American sentiment” among TCI government officials – but he stated that locals had gone out of their way to be considerate and helpful.

“So I wasn’t contacted by the State Department once I was detained for two months. I think it was over 70 days,” Hagerich declared. “Once I was contacted, it was after the story had gathered national media attention.”

“We had a meeting – Ryan Watson and myself did – a few days later with an individual [with the State Department] that came to the island,” he recalled. “More or less, it kind of felt like a check-the-box-type exercise. It was pretty clear in their mind that we committed a crime. We should essentially go to jail for that. And, you know, it really kind of begs the question, you know, numerous times, which side of the table they’re on. Are they on the U.S. side or are they on the Turks side?”

“And that’s honestly, again, kind of – it’s just baffling to myself and some of the others that experienced some of the same things,” he claimed.

“You know, again, not having full confidence in receiving a fair trial, other things I’d request from the State Department – for somebody to be present at my hearing – which they did send someone but then learning that the individual was a Turks and Caicos resident with a government email address that left before the prosecution even presented the case, which, I’m not sure, again, you know, where – which side of the table are you on if that’s, you know, who’s coming to ‘represent’ me to ensure a fair hearing,” Hagerich mentioned.

“And when you hear comments from locals – police officers were just, you know, amazed how long I was there for,” the father recalled. “At one point, an officer said, when I was checking in, you know, ‘I can’t believe you’re still here. This has to be a money grab. This has to be political. There’s no reason for this.'”

“And when you sit back and you have time to reflect on some of those comments, you know, it definitely doesn’t give you a great feeling inside, you know, at the time, it probably just kind of rolled off, just – essentially I was in a fight for my life,” Hagerich claimed. “You don’t have time to digest all that but now, looking back and reflecting, there are a number of things here that just – they don’t add up.”

“That was, you know – it came out very, very clearly during the congressional delegation visit there,” he continued. “I’m sure you heard some of the comments that were made by some of the senators [and] congressmen that were there,” Hagerich said. “It was just, you know – when you have a business leader telling folks that, you know, it’s just an extended vacation for these guys, you know, this was anything short of an extended vacation, you know, 101 days away from my family – what I personally went through – what my family, my children, have gone through, I can promise you this was not a vacation in any way,” Hagerich said.