Current:Home > FinanceFlorida grandmother arrested in Turks and Caicos over ammo in bag fined $1,500 and given suspended sentence -Capitatum
Florida grandmother arrested in Turks and Caicos over ammo in bag fined $1,500 and given suspended sentence
View
Date:2025-04-15 18:53:36
The fifth American who was arrested in the Turks and Caicos Islands in recent months for having ammunition in her bag was fined $1,500 and given a suspended sentence of 23 weeks Thursday, the court confirmed to CBS News. Sharitta Grier, a grandmother from Florida, went to the British territory on a surprise Mother's Day vacation that ended with her in custody when authorities found two bullets in her carry-on bag as she was trying to go home.
She told reporters after Thursday's sentencing hearing that hugging her loved ones and eating some soul food would be among the first things she'd do upon her return to Orlando.
"I'm just excited about everything, ready to get back home to my family and my grandkids," Grier said ahead of her expected departure from the islands Thursday afternoon. "It's been a long time coming, but, you know, God is still good. I've seen the hand of God move during this whole journey, so I'm satisfied."
She said people provided her with food, shelter and support during her weekslong stay on the islands.
"It was like strangers reaching out at me and like just blessing me out of nowhere, so I could really see the hand of God," she said.
After her mid-May arrest, she told CBS News she had to spend a few nights in jail.
"They chained me to a chair by my leg," she told CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave. "It's cold, scared, it was awful, it was so awful, I couldn't sleep."
When she was released from custody, Grier had to remain on the islands with a possible prison sentence hanging over her as her case went through the courts.
"You have good days, bad days — mentally draining, like not knowing what's going to happen or when it's going to happen, if a court date's going to be pushed back," she told Van Cleave last month. "It's a lot, it's a lot mentally."
She had said she was optimistic about her case after other Americans who were also arrested over ammunition found in their bags avoided prison time but had to pay fines before they could return to the U.S.
In May, Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania was given a suspended sentence and fined $6,700 over 20 rifle rounds that were in his bag at the end of a vacation. Tyler Wenrich of Virginia was sentenced a few days later to time served and a $9,000 fine for two 9 mm bullets that were found in his backpack as he was trying to board a cruise ship.
Ryan Watson of Oklahoma received a suspended sentence and a $2,000 fine last month over four rounds of ammunition that were found in his carry-on bag when he and his wife visited the British territory earlier this year. Michael Lee Evans of Texas, who was allowed to return to the U.S. for medical reasons while his case was pending, was also given a suspended sentence.
The five Americans had faced potential mandatory minimum sentences of 12 years in prison. Amid pressure from U.S. lawmakers to show the Americans leniency, elected officials on the islands changed the law to give judges more discretion for sentences in firearms cases.
Sarah Barth and Elizabeth Campbell contributed to this report.
- In:
- Turks and Caicos
- Caribbean
- Florida
- Orlando
Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.
TwitterveryGood! (9)
Related
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- In death, O.J. Simpson and his trial verdict still reflect America’s racial divides
- Agreement could resolve litigation over services for disabled people in North Carolina
- How immigrant workers in US have helped boost job growth and stave off a recession
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- O.J. Simpson murder trial divided America. Those divisions remain nearly 30 years later.
- Jury convicts Memphis, Tennessee, man of raping a woman a year before jogger’s killing
- I'm an adult and I just read the 'Harry Potter' series. Why it's not just for kids.
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Prosecutors: South Carolina prison supervisor took $219,000 in bribes; got 173 cellphones to inmates
Ranking
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Convicted killer of college student Kristin Smart attacked at California prison for second time
- Trump’s co-defendants in classified documents case are asking judge to dismiss charges against them
- If O.J. Simpson’s assets go to court, Goldman, Brown families could be first in line
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- O.J. Simpson just died. Is it too soon to talk about his troubled past?
- The Talk Canceled After 15 Seasons
- Maryland members of Congress unveil bill to fund Baltimore bridge reconstruction
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Don't delay your Social Security claim. Here are 3 reasons why.
Riley Strain Case: Family Friend Reveals Huge Development in Death Investigation
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese headline one of the most anticipated WNBA drafts in years
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
A state trooper pleaded guilty to assaulting teens over a doorbell prank. He could face prison time
Gas prices are on the rise again. Here's where experts say they are going next.
A Trump campaign stop at an Atlanta Chick-fil-A offers a window into his outreach to Black voters