Virginia Man Faces 12-Year Prison Sentence In Turks & Caicos After Bringing Ammunition On Cruise, One Of Four Americans Charged Under New Law

A Virginia man who inadvertently carried ammunition in his luggage on a cruise now faces a possible minimum 12-year imprisonment in a Turks and Caicos prison.

Tyler Wenrich, 31, has been on Grand Turk Island since his arrest two weeks ago. When at a security checkpoint upon his return to the Royal Caribbean Cruise ship after a beach excursion, two 9mm rounds were discovered in his bag.

Speaking to NBC10 Boston from the island, where he is confined, Wenrich described the situation as a nightmare. “I can almost not wrap my head around it still, and I’m living in it,” he said. 

Wenrich claimed it was an honest mistake; he inadvertently left the ammunition in his bag from previous hunting trips.

“I checked it before I left, and it was just a complete oversight on me, TSA and the port security,” he said. “Three groups missed that ammunition.”

While the offense Wenrich is being charged for used to incur only a minor fine, in 2022, the Turks and Caicos lawmakers imposed a minimum 12-year sentence for such cases.

Wenrich was able to post bail last week but remains on the island as his case progresses through the legal system. 

He stated of his time in custody, “It’s definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through.”

Wenrich joins a list of Americans who have been arrested for similar offenses in recent weeks and are now isolated on the island as they await their sentences. Pennsylvania man Bryan Hagerich, 39, appeared in court in Turks and Caicos last week and was informed that he must remain on the islands for an additional three weeks until he is sentenced.

Oklahoma man Ryan Watson, 40, was charged with carrying ammunition in his bag on April 12 and is also currently on the island. Another U.S. citizen, Michael Lee Evans, 72, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition in his bag on April 24. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18.

Since the enactment of the firearm and ammunition law last year, four additional Americans who were detained have had their cases resolved, which have resulted in fines rather than imprisonment.

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau has issued a travel alert that clarifies that all firearms, ammunition, and other weapons are strictly prohibited in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). The embassy warns that the penalty for bringing a firearm, ammunition or weapon into TCI, even unintentionally, can result in a minimum custodial sentence of 12 years. They emphasize that individuals are subject to TCI laws and must adhere to local law enforcement procedures, with no guarantees of release from custody if found in violation.