ORLANDO, Fla. — A local mom said she had no idea that two rounds of ammunition were left at the bottom of her luggage when she traveled to Turks and Caicos.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Sharitta Grier is a registered gun owner in Orlando.
Now she’s facing charges in a foreign country.
Channel 9 spoke to Grier as she spoke with her family through a video call for one of the first times since being detained.
Read: Police investigate officer-involved shooting in Haines City
Grier departed from Orlando to the island Friday. She was arrested at the Howard Hamilton International Airport Monday and charged with carrying ammunition Wednesday.
Grier was released on a $15,000 Friday morning, but she can’t leave the island until her case is over and must report to a local police station weekly.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that before I was afraid,” Grier said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen because I couldn’t believe it was in there. They went through my bag and said they found rounds at the bottom of my carry-on.”
In 2022 the island upgraded its law which prohibits unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The mandatory sentence is 12 years.
Read: 11-year-old in custody following deadly Ocoee shooting, police say
Grier has a blood clot condition that requires medication., attempting to fight to get her back home is already costing tens of thousands of dollars.
“I’m just broken,” Grier said. “I’m broken.”
Senator Rick Scott as well as former Commissioner Regina Hill are working to bring Grier back home.
Governors of other states have also been working to release the other Americans who have been arrested due to the same law.
Channel 9 reached out to Governor Ron DeSantis about Grier Thursday and Friday he has asked if he will be taking any actions.
His office has not gotten back to us or stated if they will take any actions on behalf of Grier.
Scott provided this statement.
“Senator Scott spoke with the State Department yesterday afternoon and had a productive conversation with British Ambassador to the U.S. Karen Pierce on Wednesday evening about the Americans, including a Floridian, being held in Turks and Caicos. Our team has also reached out to the Grier family to offer assistance. Senator Scott has called on the State Department to update its travel advisory to warn about these arrests and demanded that it take every action necessary to bring these Americans home as soon as possible.” - McKinley Lewis, Communications Director, U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL)
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.