Somerset man held in Turks and Caicos released with 12-month suspended sentence, fine
Officials in Congress, Gov. Josh Shapiro's office, the Pennsylvania General Assembly representatives for Somerset County, U.S. State Department and the public outcry have made it possible to bring Bryan Hagerich home.
Hagerich, a Somerset County resident, was released Friday. He had faced a minimum mandatory 12-year sentence in the Turks and Caicos Islands for what has been called mistakenly having some ammunition in one of his bags he had used for a hunting trip. The ammunition was found when he was exiting the Islands from a family vacation.
NBC reported Judge Tanya Lobban Jackson sentenced him to "52 weeks but 12 months suspended," meaning he will not serve any time in jail. He was also fined $6,700.
“This is great news. Bryan is coming home to his family. It was an honor to meet Bryan and the other detained Americans in TCI this week," U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said in a prepared statement.
Fetterman returned Monday from a trip to Turks and Caicos in which a delegation that also included U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., among others, sought the release of Hagerich and four other Americans held on similar charges.
More: 'Temper justice with mercy' Gov. Shapiro ask Turks and Caicos to send US residents home
“When we met with TCI officials a few days ago, they made clear that they wanted this situation resolved. They recognized that Bryan and the other detained Americans are not gunrunners – they are just people who made a mistake. I’m grateful that the judge recognized that the right thing to do was to send Bryan home. I’m also grateful to the U.S. State Department, which has been a critical partner in bringing Bryan home," Fetterman said in the statement.
Somerset County Commissioners also had something to say about the situation.
Somerset County Commissioners Chairman Brian Fochtman said, "Any help we can get from the federal government for Somerset County citizens, we appreciate it."
He and Commissioner Irv Kimmel said this (situation) could have a dramatic effect on travel.
Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes like so many in Somerset County knows the Hagerich family.
"I am elated the Hagerich family is reunited and want to credit the efforts of Sens. Casey and Fetterman and Congressman Reschenthaler in working toward his release," she said.
"While I am overjoyed to see Bryan Hagerich will be returning to Pennsylvania and reuniting with his wife and two children, this terrifying situation should have never happened to him, or the four other Americans still awaiting sentencing,” Reschenthaler said in a prepared statement.“As the Turks and Caicos government works to handle future cases, the British territory must ensure the safety and well-being of U.S. tourists. I won’t rest until Americans can once again set foot on their islands without putting their livelihoods at risk.”
Fetterman agreed.
"I’m hopeful that TCI expedites the rest of these cases and that the other detained Americans will soon be released and reunited with their families as well," he said.
The Daily American reached out to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., for comments and they responded with a statement on their X pages, formerly Twitter.
"So glad Bryan is coming back home to his wife Ashley and their kids in Somerset County. Turks and Caicos got it right with this final outcome, as Governors @GovStitt, @GovernorVA, and I advocated for," Shapiro wrote.
"I'm wishing the best to the Americans still detained in TCI and reminding all Pennsylvanians: Please check all applicable laws before traveling abroad," he said.
Casey wrote: "Great news. I’m grateful that the authorities in Turks and Caicos exercised leniency and that Bryan Hagerich will soon be on his way home to his family in Somerset."
In an earlier comment to the Daily American, Casey said, "Bryan Hagerich has been separated from his family for too long."
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County man coming home, Turks and Caicos sentence suspended
