News
American Ryan Watson sentenced, fined and goes home to Oklahoma
Wilkie Arthur
Eagle Legal News Media
#TurksandCaicos, June 25, 2024 – Oklahoma father, Ryan Watson was after two months of detainment in the Turks and Caicos was sentenced to pay a fine of $2,000 or spend three months and thirteen weeks imprisonment (suspended); aka a nine month sentence.
Watson, on May 28th, entered a guilty plea to having four rounds of ammunition on his departure at the Providenciales Howard Hamilton International Airport. He was represented by Mr. Oliver Smith KC and his junior assistant Mrs. Kimone Tennant.
Mrs. Nayasha Hatmin, senior public prosecutor for the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The defendant, Ryan Watson was returning from his 40th birthday vacation on April 12 when he was detained by local police after
The TSA acknowledged that the four rounds of ammunition had not been picked up at the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma, where the Watsons had flown out from, and said that it was conducting an internal investigation into the “oversight”.
This statement was issued on May 2nd, 2024.
In the Supreme Court on Friday June 21st, her Ladyship, the Hon. Ms. Tanya Lobban-Jackson did agree with KC Smith that this is a case of exceptional circumstances, and therefore, the Court can depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of twelve years imprisonment and can impose a fine or imprisonment or both according to the newly amended Firearms Ordinance of June 19th, 2024.
From the prosecution was an argument that Ryan Watson’s case did not qualify as exhibiting exceptional circumstances; that Watson should be sentenced to the full 12 years in prison.
The sentence of the Court was far less harsh however; $2,000.00 and in default of payment of the fine, Watson faced a total of three months imprisonment. He is also sentenced to 13 weeks imprisonment suspended for nine months.
Watson paid the fine and has since left the Turks and Caicos Islands.