Jon Hammar, Marine jailed in Mexico, released from prison

This story starts out with this former Marine, Jon Hammer, and his buddy going to Mexico for a vacation to Costa Rica on Aug. 13th. He brought with him an antique rifle which he checked with the border checkpoint in Brownsville, TX and got cleared by the US Customs and Border Agents. They told him when he got across to the Mexican side, to check in with them and that is where things went downhill.

According to Mexican officials, the rifle was 1" longer than was allowed therefore it was considered an illegal weapon, hence Hammer and his buddy were arrested. His friend was released a few days later but not Hammer, due to the fact it was his rifle.

Hammar, who spent four years in Afghanistan and Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, was jailed in CEDES, a well-known lockup for criminals linked to Mexico’s violent drug cartels. His life has allegedly been threatened and his family says they received late night extortion calls to their home in Florida seeking thousands of dollars to keep the young man safe.

The fight to bring him home has been an on going battle since this incident started, Aug. 13th. The prison officials had him chained to a bed like a dog, claiming that he was in a less secure holding area and were afraid he would flee.

But now, Mom & Dad will have their son home finally and in time for Christmas....

The ordeal for Jon Hammar Jr. who languished under deplorable conditions in a violent Mexican prison for four months is finally over. Jon Hammar Sr,. has confirmed that his 27-year-old son, a Marine combat veteran, is back on U.S. soil and with him in a rented car in Brownsville, Texas. Hammar Sr. said his son was released from CEDES prison at 8 p.m. local time and made it back across the bridge between Matamoros, Mexico and Brownsville, Texas by around 8:30 p.m. The ex-Marine, who was arrested at the same border crossing Aug. 13 after attempting to declare an antique shotgun, was suffering from a stomach virus, according to his father as he and reunited son drove from the border looking for a hotel to spend the night. "We're both tired and at our wits end," Hammar Sr. said. "We're glad he's out of there."

www.foxnews.com...

A Mexican judge ruled Friday to free Jon Hammar, 27, from the notorious CEDES prison where he has been jailed since August after trying to declare the weapon at the border. A spokesman for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), one of the most vocal proponents of Hammar’s release, confirmed to the Daily News that a gun charge against the former Marine will be dropped and he was expected home in days.

I will have to give credit to FOX news due to the fact that they were diligent and persistent in pushing for Hammers release continuously, along with the US Senator Bill Nelson, of Florida (D), and U.S. Rep Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, of Florida (R). Hammar's parents dispute how helpful the State Department has been.

Hammar served in Iraq and Afghanistan before being honorably discharged from the Marines in 2007.
His mother said surfing helped him cope after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hammar developed PTSD following the death of a fellow Marine who was killed by a sniper's bullet when the two served together in Fallujah, Iraq.
He had just completed treatment at a center for veterans in California last year, before getting detained during his misadventure in Matamoros.

May he recover fully, in more ways than one.
His family wanted him home for Christmas and so it shall be.

God bless you all~~

snarky




ETA: This was a .410 gauge antique Sears Roebuck rifle that he was trying to check in with Mexico's border at Brownsville, Texas. Hammar was charged with possessing a gun used by the Mexican military, an aggravated felony punishable up to 15 years in prison.

This is horse #.

A search and rescue mission should have been initiated rather than let a former marine/American sit in a cell outside of his home land, ON VACATION.

Why is it our country treats illegal immigrants better than our own civilians? Numerous immigrants from MEXICO have assaulted/raped and been DEPORTED, only to return to commit the same #ing crime.

We need to stand up and fix our own country before we "fix" others.

Well, it was either release him. Or, we'll just come break him out.
I'm sure there's a couple teams, down to get a U.S. Marine back home for Christmas with his family.

Originally posted by spartaocean
Well, it was either release him. Or, we'll just come break him out.
I'm sure there's a couple teams, down to get a U.S. Marine back home for Christmas with his family.

agree with what you said, we were talking bout this on apacheclips a few days ago and one of the posters just said get 30 combat vets, have em stack up and go bring him home.

glad it worked out this way!

now i know why obama never visits mexico.

everybody should chip in and buy eric holder a cancun all inclusive, paid vacation.

The US Customs and Border Agents really need to keep up with what is allowed through the Mexican border.

This might could have been prevented had they told Hammer that it was against regulations according to the Mexican laws.
But still, he was going through the proper channels and at the very least, they should have kept the rifle temporarily since it was not legal according to the Mexican officials, until his departure.
Or give him a chance to go back to the US Customs.

It wasn't like he was trying to smuggle the rifle into the country.
He thought he was following the proper procedure, which turned out to be a major problem, thanks to the ignorance of the Mexican officials.
Of all times for them to stick by their "laws"....not like they are corrupt or any thing.
[yes, lots of sarcasm....]

I'm confused why he brought a gun to Mexico.

But since he went through proper chanels and they apparently allowed it. Poor guy.


Oh I see. *carries antique ice pick collection everywhere*