American tourist held captive in Turks and Caicos over smuggling in hunting bullets reveals local police's 'terrifying' interrogation methods... and their surprising admission

An Oklahoma father-of-two facing 12 years in Turks and Caicos prison revealed his interrogation hell after hunting bullets were found in his luggage - while local cops have admitted his charges 'don't make sense to us either.' 

Ryan Watson, 40, told DailyMail.com that he and his wife Valerie were subjected to a 'terrifying' interrogation after their arrest on April 11, where they were stunned to be told they each faced over a decade behind bars. 

'It was all pretty intimidating,' Ryan said, although he initially thought being told the crime carried a 12-year mandatory sentence was simply an 'intimidation tactic.' 

'They said "no, you're both going to be arrested", and at that point Valerie just broke down,' he said. 'She told them we had two young kids, but at that point we both just lost it.' 

Ryan Watson is facing 12 years in Turks and Caicos prison after ammunition was found in his luggage, and told DailyMail.com that he initially thought the punishment was merely an 'intimidation tactic' because it was so punitive 

Ryan and Valerie (pictured together arriving at their Turks and Caicos vacation) said even local police have been left confused by the strict charges 

The father-of-two said all he hopes for is to pay a fine and be reunited with his two young children, seven and nine, who Valerie said were 'still trying to figure out' their dad's situation

Once out of the interrogation room, both Ryan and Valerie faced a $5,000 bail each from Turks and Caicos police, but were saved when their driver on their vacation offered to help stump up the funds. 

'He has been such a blessing,' Valerie said. 'He's still taking care of us.'  

Their driver put his own car up as collateral to the bond, and Valerie said it was evidence of the 'wonderful' response they have received from locals. 

Because their vacation had already ended, they said they were forced to panic-buy a hotel room from inside the police station after making bail, because they needed an address to put on a police report. 

While the interrogation was a seemingly nightmarish moment for the couple, Ryan added that even local police they have spoken to said the charges seem to overstep. 

'I've been told by some of the police officers, "Hey, we hate that you're in this, it doesn't really make sense to us either," he said, noting that officers in the past have reduced the charges to a fine, but this has not been offered yet. 

'It's kinda hard to hear that from them,' Ryan added. 

The crime used to only carry a small fine, however Turks and Caicos lawmakers escalated the penalties in 2022 to mandate a 12-year minimum sentence.

Ryan is not the only one to fall victim to the mistake in recent weeks, with new father Tyler Wenrich, 31, arrested on the same charges this week after bullets were found in his luggage as he stepped off a cruise. 

Ryan said he has been trying to contact Wenrich following his arrest, as they try to 'set up a support system' while stranded in the Caribbean. 

Valerie insisted the bullets were an 'innocent mistake', after they were missed by American TSA on their departing flight from Oklahoma 

Ryan is not the only one to fall victim to the mistake in recent weeks, with new father Tyler Wenrich, 31, (pictured with his wife) arrested on the same charges this week after bullets were found in his luggage as he stepped off a cruise 

Wenrich, from Virginia, is a paramedic and his wife is a dental hygienist. The couple appear to have recently welcomed a child together 

The surge in recent arrests also comes despite a warning sent out by US travel officials in 2023 in response to the updated law, alerting Americans to double check their luggage for loose bullets or firearms due to the severe penalties. 

Ryan said that he has mainly been left 'confused' by the strict punishment he is facing, as the loose deer ammunition was not accompanied by a firearm, and he felt it was 'clearly an honest mistake.' 

Valerie added that Turks and Caicos officials appear to take a 'very different approach' to American TSA, who missed the bullets as they departed for their vacation from Oklahoma. 

'It's an innocent mistake, there was no intent to harm with it,' she said. 'It feels harsh, and we're just trying to understand.' 

They said that even Turks and Caicos airport staff struggled to find the bullets initially, and Ryan's bag had to be passed through an X-ray machine twice for them to discover the ammunition. 

The ammo had been accidentally left in the bag during a recent hunting trip, which Ryan said he is still wracking his head over as he never usually uses that bag for hunting gear. 

'I use that bag predominantly for street clothes, and my hunting gear would be in another bag, so I don' know,' he said. 

'I laid in the jail cell for 48 hours trying to think, and I can't for the life of me remember putting them in there.' 

Despite their ordeal in the interrogation room, the Watsons said their reception from others on the Caribbean islands has been 'wonderful.'

'The people here have supported us in so many ways,' Valerie said. 

Before the arrest, the couple had been enjoying a picturesque stay at a lavish Venetian-style AirBnB with its own private beach, which Valerie said they had 'saved for a while' to afford for the dream vacation

The couple (left) stayed with old friends to celebrate Ryan's 40th birthday, including a close friend from college who was with him on the recent hunting trip where the bullets were left over from 

Before the arrest, the couple had been enjoying a picturesque vacation with friends for Ryan's 40th birthday, including a close friend from college who was with him on the recent hunting trip where the bullets were left over from. 

The couple and their friends stayed at a lavish Venetian-style AirBnB with its own private beach, which Valerie said they had 'saved for a while' to afford for the dream vacation. 

They said they 'lived it up' on the islands and enjoyed its tourist hotspots, and felt that calls from some online to boycott tourism to Turks and Caicos until Ryan is released are 'unfair.' 

Admitting they weren't previously aware of the boycott calls, Ryan and Valerie said the locals had been 'the nicest and sweetest' in helping them out during their legal ordeal. 

'Ryan and I talk a lot about how this could potentially hurt them, and they are the last people on earth that this should affect,' Valerie said. 

Since his arrest on April 11, Ryan said he has been living in several places around the island while his case is in limbo, which included a 48 hour stay in the Chalk Sound Police Station. 

Ryan was held in the Chalk Sound police station (pictured) until he posted bail, however he is unable to leave the island as his passport was seized 

After weeks stuck on the Caribbean islands, cameras captured the moment Valerie was reunited with the couple's two young children in Oklahoma 

For several days, he has been living in a $500-a-night AirBnB with the help of his parents-in-law, however the indefinite nature of his situation means even locals have offered to help find accommodation. 

Ryan said he spends his days speaking with his attorneys and interviewing with the media, and was thankful that - after weeks of not being able to do so - he has been able to FaceTime his two young children, aged 7 and 9. 

Heartwarming footage captured the moment Valerie was reunited with their two young children in Oklahoma after weeks apart, and Ryan said it made a 'huge difference' when he was finally able to FaceTime them again this week. 

'We had to have this conversation about why dad is still not home, and our kids are seven and nine so they're old enough to understand... but they're still trying to figure it out,' Valerie said. 

'They were very upset to think about their dad in jail, and trying to tell them everything will be okay when you don't know if they will be was really difficult.' 

Valerie said she is still fighting to have her husband released from his criminal charges, with several prominent Oklahoma politicians including Governor Kevin Stitt and Senator Markwayne Mullin also lending their support.

In a letter to Turks and Caicos officials on April 16, Stitt explained that Ryan is an 'avid outdoorsman', and that leaving the ammunition in his bag was an oversight, not an intentional attempt to break the law.

Senator Mullin's office has also said it has been in contact with Watson's family, and is working to secure his freedom and flight back home.

'We know that God's still working and he's working through us,' Valerie added to NBC News as she arrived home this week. 

In an interview before their first court hearing, Valerie said the possibility of facing 12 years in prison left her 'terrified' because they have two young children 

Oklahoma's Will Rogers World Airport is facing a 'review' from TSA amid questions as to how its screeners allowed the bullets to fly without being impeded 

Amid backlash to the arrest, TSA officials said they have launched a 'review' of Oklahoma's Will Rogers World Airport's screeners in response.

'TSA is conducting a review at OKC, which was the originating airport,' TSA said in a statement, adding that it is 'aware' of the slip-up.

However, several investigations in recent years have uncovered a shocking lapse in TSA screening effectiveness, with undercover agents from Homeland Security easily slipping banned objects past screeners.

In 2017, ABC News reported that undercover agents found safety equipment or procedures failed over half the time, with a source revealing that the 'ballpark' failure rate was more like 80 percent.

A previous investigation in 2006 also found that fake bombs slipped past TSA screeners 75 percent of the time at Los Angeles International Airport and 60 percent of the time at Chicago O'Hare, reported USA Today.