A Florida grandmother was returning home with her daughter on a surprise Mother’s Day getaway to the Turks and Caicos Islands when it turned into a nightmare when airport security found two bullets lodged under the flap of Shalitta Greer’s carry-on bag.
“This is the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like this,” Greer, who lives in Orlando, told “CBS Mornings” in an interview. “It was unbelievable to me. And they kept saying, ‘This is a serious crime. It carries a mandatory sentence of 12 years.’ Twelve years?”
His grandmother, Greer, said he spent several nights in jail.
“They chained my legs to a chair,” she said. “It was cold. It was scary. It was terrible. It was so bad. I couldn’t sleep. There was no peace. It was a nightmare.”
Greer is 5 americans Five Americans have been detained in British territory after ammunition was found in their luggage and could face up to 12 years in prison. All five said they did not realize there was ammunition in the bag.
When asked how the bullet could have ended up in her luggage, Greer said she locks the box in which she stores ammunition and keeps it on top of the closet when her grandchildren come to visit, and she thinks it may have fallen out and gotten into her luggage when she put it away.
“All I can remember is that it was on top of the closet. The ammunition fell out of the box in the suitcase and into what I would call carry-on luggage, and then it fell underneath,” she said. “I couldn’t see the flap of the carry-on luggage, so I couldn’t open the bag and see the bottom,” she said. “I had to pull the whole flap out from the bottom of the suitcase to see it. I couldn’t see or hear anything in that bag.”
Possession of guns and ammunition is illegal Turks and Caicos IslandsPreviously, the punishment was merely a fine. In February, a court order was issued requiring tourists to serve jail time in addition to fines.
Another of the five ryan watsonan Oklahoma father of two who has been away from his family for more than 40 days, is scheduled to appear in court next week.
Watson was arrested on April 12 as he was returning home from vacation with his wife, Valerie Watson, after four rounds of hunting ammunition were found in his carry-on luggage. Valerie Watson has not been charged and has returned to the couple’s children in Oklahoma.
“I wake up every day thinking it will make more sense, but, well, it doesn’t,” Watson said. “I know the kids are in pain. It’s probably too much for a 7- and 9-year-old to bear, let alone an adult.”
Watson previously told CBS News that the ammunition may have been left in his bag after a hunting trip to Texas. The Transportation Security Administration confirmed that agents missed it when the Watsons went through security in Oklahoma City at the start of their trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“You can never stop everything you want to stop,” said TSA Administrator David Pekosky. “So mistakes like this happen. We take them very seriously and we will do everything we can to find out why.”
Another tourist, Brian Hagerich, a father of two from Pennsylvania, said he expects the verdict to be handed down on Friday, which could be a sign of what to expect for other Americans.
“I think Brian’s case sets a precedent for all of us,” Watson said. “We remain very hopeful that exceptional circumstances will be found.”
Meanwhile, pressure on tourist destinations is growing. governor of the usa Three states sent letters asking for clemency: Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Oklahoma. A parliamentary delegation recently left the island after meeting with leaders.
“Like thousands of Americans every year, these people visited your beautiful territory for leisure,” the American governor wrote. “I humbly ask that your government, in its wisdom, temper justice with mercy and recognize that while these people made a mistake, there was no obvious malice.”
“They’ve made it very clear that there will come a time, you know, to move cautiously and quickly, and we’re all on the same page in wanting to see this come to light.”Pennsylvania the state senator said. John Fetterman.
Turks and Caicos Islands Prime Minister Charles Washington Misick said: “make a speech The current situation was announced by his office on social media at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday, marking Misick’s first public comments on the matter.
In a May 20 news release posted on the Turks and Caicos Islands government website, the government acknowledged the U.S. delegation’s visit and said, “In accordance with the constitutional separation of the executive and judicial branches, the Governor and Premier have confirmed that they cannot intervene or comment on ongoing matters. They explained that the Turks and Caicos Islands have clear laws prohibiting the possession of firearms and ammunition, with severe penalties in place to protect all who reside or visit the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
Greer, whose trial is scheduled for July 5, is trying to remain optimistic.
“It’s really hard. I have grandchildren. I have five. I have three children. I have a loving family back home. It’s like a community,” she said. “You have all your life back home. You have all your life back home. You know what? That’s why it’s so hard.”
