An Orlando mother is hoping to return home after she was arrested in Turks and Caicos for possession of ammunition. She is close to 800 miles away from her Florida family. Sharitta Grier said she is the fifth U.S. tourist arrested in Turks and Caicos and the last one who is still on the island.”It’s a nightmare that I can’t wake up from,” said Grier. Grier said on June 27, she pleaded guilty to illegal possession of ammunition and will be sentenced on July 11. Until then, she’s stuck on the island and anxious about her freedom. Grier spoke to WESH 2 via FaceTime from her Airbnb. Grier was enjoying her first trip to Turks and Caicos for Mother’s Day weekend when things took a turn.”I was having the time of my life, to everything flipping to a nightmare instantly,” said Grier. She was arrested on May 13 after security at the Howard Hamilton Airport in Providenciales found two bullets in her luggage. If convicted, the penalty for traveling to Turks and Caicos with a firearm, ammunition, or other weapon is a possible 12-year prison sentence. “I never brought a firearm into Turks and Caicos; it was only two rounds of ammunition. I did not know that it was in my bag and there was no intent to have that in my bag,” said Grier.Grier said she works as a store manager in Orlando and has a gun for protection. She said TSA in Orlando searched her carry-on before she left and confiscated her lotion and body spray but did not catch the ammunition. “I have never been in trouble or arrested before,” said Grier. Grier said she was traveling with a bag in which she normally concealed her gun and ammunition. “I never had no intention to disrespect anyone’s country,” said Grier. Grier says as more time goes by, she is concerned about her health. “My leg is bothering me because I have blood clots, and I don’t have any more medicine,” said Grier. Grier said she has hereditary blood clots that require special medication that she can no longer take unless she sees a hematologist. She hopes to return home to her children and grandchildren in Orlando in July. “There’s no words about how much I miss my family. It’s so heartbreaking to only talk to them over FaceTime,” said Grier. Grier said she remains on $15,000 bail until sentencing. To help the family, you can read more about their GoFundMe by clicking here.
An Orlando mother is hoping to return home after she was arrested in Turks and Caicos for possession of ammunition. She is close to 800 miles away from her Florida family.
Sharitta Grier said she is the fifth U.S. tourist arrested in Turks and Caicos and the last one who is still on the island.
“It’s a nightmare that I can’t wake up from,” said Grier.
Grier said on June 27, she pleaded guilty to illegal possession of ammunition and will be sentenced on July 11.
Until then, she’s stuck on the island and anxious about her freedom. Grier spoke to WESH 2 via FaceTime from her Airbnb.
Grier was enjoying her first trip to Turks and Caicos for Mother’s Day weekend when things took a turn.
“I was having the time of my life, to everything flipping to a nightmare instantly,” said Grier.
She was arrested on May 13 after security at the Howard Hamilton Airport in Providenciales found two bullets in her luggage.
If convicted, the penalty for traveling to Turks and Caicos with a firearm, ammunition, or other weapon is a possible 12-year prison sentence.
“I never brought a firearm into Turks and Caicos; it was only two rounds of ammunition. I did not know that it was in my bag and there was no intent to have that in my bag,” said Grier.
Grier said she works as a store manager in Orlando and has a gun for protection. She said TSA in Orlando searched her carry-on before she left and confiscated her lotion and body spray but did not catch the ammunition.
“I have never been in trouble or arrested before,” said Grier.
Grier said she was traveling with a bag in which she normally concealed her gun and ammunition.
“I never had no intention to disrespect anyone’s country,” said Grier.
Grier says as more time goes by, she is concerned about her health.
“My leg is bothering me because I have blood clots, and I don’t have any more medicine,” said Grier.
Grier said she has hereditary blood clots that require special medication that she can no longer take unless she sees a hematologist.
She hopes to return home to her children and grandchildren in Orlando in July.
“There’s no words about how much I miss my family. It’s so heartbreaking to only talk to them over FaceTime,” said Grier.
Grier said she remains on $15,000 bail until sentencing.
To help the family, you can read more about their GoFundMe by clicking here.
