A cruise ship passenger was arrested in Turks and Caicos, facing up to 12 years in prison. Tyler Scott Wenrich, a 32-year-old from Richmond, Virginia, was detained by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force after bullets were found in his bag during a routine security check.
Wenrich is now subject to a possible 12-year sentence under the new firearm laws of the British overseas territory. He was brought before the court last week and remains in custody awaiting a hearing set for June 7.
The police have not disclosed the specific cruise ship Tyler Scott Wenrich was aboard, however according to Cruise Radio, the Carnival Sunrise was moored in Grand Turk on the day of his arrest.
Cruise Radio reports an increase in such incidents, marking this as the second this month alone. Wenrich's case follows that of Ryan Watson who was arrested at the airport trying to fly home after a vacation, having accidentally left behind ammunition from a prior hunting trip in his bag.
Additionally, Bryan Hagerich, a former professional baseball player from Pennsylvania, has been held since February after he too inadvertently left bullets in his luggage. He has been waiting over two months for his sentencing. In each instance, it seems the detained travelers had only forgotten ammunition, with no firearms involved.