Now ex-baseball pro reveals he's also trapped in Turks and Caicos: ... trends now
A father stranded in Turks and Caicos after he accidentally carried ammunition in his luggage during a family vacation has told DailyMail.com of the hellish ordeal as he faces up to 12 years in prison for the 'honest mistake'.
Bryan Hagerich, 39, a former baseball pro, was arrested at the airport on the Caribbean islands in February after a five-day vacation with his wife, Ashley, and their two young children.
In a moving interview with DailyMail.com, Bryan and Ashley, 41, shared their ordeal amid a spate of arrests of American men who accidentally traveled to Turks and Caicos with ammunition in their luggage. All face lengthy jail terms under strict firearms laws in the British overseas territory.
Customs officials found a box of 20 rounds of hunting ammunition in Bryan's luggage during a random check before his family's return flight to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had accidentally left the bullets in his bag before the vacation.
Bryan was charged with a firearms offense and held for more than a week in a grim island jail. He was then released on bail and has since spent 76 days on the island anxiously awaiting his sentencing.
The couple said the traumatic ordeal has had a profound impact on their two young children, Palmer, four, and Caroline, six, who ask every day: 'When is daddy coming home?'.
Bryan Hagerich with his wife Ashley and their children, Palmer and Catherine, during the trip to Turks and Caicos before his arrest for unintentionally carrying ammunition in his luggage
The family were visiting Turks and Caicos for the fourth time and said the island is a 'special place for us'. Bryan, a former baseball pro, faces 12 years in prison on the firearms charges
Speaking from the Airbnb where he has lived during his time on bail, Bryan also told of his desperate hope for leniency from the courts so he can be reunited with his family.
Like in the other ongoing cases, Bryan legally purchased the ammo in the United States.
The issue of Americans being held in Turks and Caicos on firearms charges received renewed attention after another American father, Ryan Watson, was detained earlier this month. Another man, Tyler Wenrich, was also charged this week.
'It's been traumatic in every way imaginable,' said Bryan during a telephone interview on Friday.
'As a father, it's my responsibility to provide for my family, to protect my family, to support them in every way imaginable. And for me now, 75 days of not being able to do that, it's just been catastrophic.'
The family arrived in Turks and Caicos on February 8 and spent five days at the luxury Beaches resort.
'This was our fourth time coming to the island. Obviously we came back again and again so it's a special place for us,' said Bryan.
They arrived at the airport for their return flight on February 13 and Bryan was called for a random bag search. He reported to a customs official and staff checked his luggage while Ashley and their children waiting at the gate.
Bryan told DailyMail.com the hardest part is being away from his family: 'As a father, it's my responsibility to provide for my family, to protect my family, to support them in every way imaginable. And for me now, 75 days of not being able to do that, it's just been catastrophic'
The former baseball pro, who now works for a nursing home provider, is on bail and able to speak with his children every day by video call, including during their baseball practice
'I didn't think was a problem, consented to it and for extremely an long period of time they were searching through my checked luggage and found hunting ammunition,' he said.
'Quickly I recognized the ammunition is the type that I use and have back at home in
