American Tyler Wenrich sentenced to time served and $9K fine after arrest on illegal ammunition charge in Turks and Caicos

American Tyler Wenrich was sentenced to three weeks in jail and fined Tuesday after he had pleaded guilty earlier this month to possession of ammunition while traveling to Turks and Caicos.

American Tyler Wenrich was sentenced to three weeks in jail and fined Tuesday after he had pleaded guilty earlier this month to possession of ammunition while traveling to Turks and Caicos. The Virginia resident was fined $9,000, Kimo Tynes, the director of communications for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, said in a news statement. Since he had already served three weeks in jail, the court recognized it as time served so his prison sentence is complete, the release said. The 31-year-old American faced as much as a 12-year prison sentence. But the Hon. Justice Davidson Baptiste cited exceptional circumstances in Wenrich’s case and said, “Enforcing the mandatory minimum would have been arbitrary and disproportionate, and would not serve the public interest.” A hearing for a second American, Ryan Tyler Watson, that was also scheduled for Tuesday, is ongoing, Tynes confirmed to CNN. Two other Americans have pleaded guilty and are out on bail while they await sentencing while a third has pleaded guilty, been sentenced and has returned back to the US. In recent months, all were arrested and accused of bringing in various amounts of ammunition to the 40-island chain southeast of the Bahamas.