American businessman held with ammunition hopeful October court date will work in his favour

American businessman Igor Andrusceak, who faces a possible 15-year prison sentence in Jamaica after two loaded ammunition magazines were found in his luggage, is hoping his next court appearance will work in his favour.

Andrusceak, a small-business owner from Athens, Georgia, travelled to Jamaica with his wife and their three children, including their one-year-old daughter, for what was their first family trip outside the United States.

The family had reportedly saved for nearly two years for the vacation, which Andrusceak described as “beautiful” and “amazing”.

However, their trip took a dramatic turn on July 28 as they prepared to leave Jamaica through Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.

Andrusceak said two loaded magazines, each containing 15 rounds of ammunition, were discovered in his carry-on backpack during airport screening.

He said there was no firearm in the bag and that he had removed his gun, pocketknife, nail clippers and other everyday items from the backpack before travelling.

He believes the magazines were inadvertently left behind in a mesh side pocket that became concealed by his laptop and iPad.

“I pulled my gun out of there because that’s my everyday carry, so I put that all in my safe,” he told US media.

“And then I just put my laptop, my iPad, my chargers, just the basics.”

Andrusceak said the backpack also passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport without incident before the family travelled to Jamaica.

He said he initially believed he had been cleared to leave Jamaica after authorities found the ammunition. However, he was later stopped at the Frontier Airlines gate and told that he needed to accompany officials.

Andrusceak was subsequently arrested and taken to the Freeport Police Station in St James, where he spent less than 24 hours in custody before appearing in court and being granted bail.

His case was reportedly transferred to the Gun Court because of the ammunition charge.

Under Jamaica’s strict firearms laws, unauthorised possession of ammunition carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Andrusceak said he was told he could face between 15 years and life imprisonment if convicted.

Recalling the court appearance, he said the judge explained that the court was bound by the law.

“At which point my whole world came crashing down,” Andrusceak told 11Alive. “My one-year-old – imagine her being 16 when I see her again. That was a very sobering moment.”

His attorney secured a bail bond of J$500,000, approximately US$3,200, allowing him to return to Georgia while the case remains pending.

Andrusceak said he accepts responsibility for failing to discover the magazines before travelling, but hopes the circumstances surrounding the incident will be taken into consideration.

“I put my family through a very traumatic experience,” he said. “I feel foolish. Like, you understand how bad I felt for making that mistake.”

He also hopes surveillance footage and TSA screening records from Atlanta will support his account that the ammunition was inadvertently left in the bag and that he had no intention of transporting it internationally.

According to US media reports, TSA is reportedly reviewing how the loaded magazines may have passed through security screening in Atlanta, although the agency has not confirmed Andrusceak’s account.

The case has highlighted the serious consequences visitors can face under Jamaica’s firearms and ammunition laws, including in circumstances where ammunition is brought into the country unintentionally.

Andrusceak is scheduled to return to court on October 29. In the meantime, he said he is selling possessions, including his motorcycle, to help cover his legal expenses.

“I’m fearful of going back,” he said.

He remains hopeful, however, that the evidence and circumstances surrounding the incident will work in his favour when he returns to Jamaica for his court appearance.

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