76-Year-Old Retired American Doctor Fined For Importation Of .38 Calibre Ammunition. No Conviction Recorded.
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By Alric Lindsay
Brian Richard Carlson, a retired American pathologist, appeared before the Summary Court today, May 7, 2025, to face a charge of importation of unlicensed firearm ammunition, being a live 0.38 calibre round. The Chief Magistrate ordered that he pay a fine of $2,000. No conviction was recorded.
Background
In court, it was recounted that Carlson arrived in Grand Cayman on May 2, 2025, on his way to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
When his carry-on luggage was passed through the X-ray machine, security officers observed the bullet.
A Customs & Border Control officer was summoned, and Carlson was taken to the CBC search room. Where the bag was searched, one live round of ammunition was recovered.
Carlson was cautioned and arrested for importation of an unlicensed firearm (the definition of “firearm” under Cayman law includes “ammunition”).
Carlson was interviewed in the presence of his lawyer, at which time he confirmed that he owns a .38 revolver in the United States and that he has a carry permit for it. He explained that he was completely unaware of it and could not recall or give any reason why it would be in the bag.
Reportedly, Carlson apologised for his mistake.
Sentencing
Arguing on Carlson’s behalf, his attorney explained that he has been visiting the Cayman Islands since 1990. He’s been here over 50 times, and on this particular trip, he was here at the invitation of the Southern Cross Club, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary.
His attorney added that Carlson flew through a number of airports on the way here, however, the ammunition was not detected in any other airport.
His attorney pleaded for the Chief Magistrate to give serious consideration to exercising the discretion of the court to not record a conviction because of the potentially disproportionate consequences that that could have for this man involved, around his good character, who pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and did everything that’s being expected of him.
After hearing from the prosecution and defence counsels, the Chief Magistrate said:
It is clear that you carry a handgun carrier permit.
You have a lifetime licence to do so.
I accept that you have been travelling here for the past 35 years with no problems at all.
I accept that this was… I wouldn’t even call it an oversight.
It’s just one of these things that are unexplained.
She added:
You just don’t know how this ammunition got in this bag because you would have known the consequences definitely of coming here to Cayman and in all the circumstances of what I have heard and your personal mitigation and personal circumstances, I find that there are certain extenuating circumstances.” She concluded:
I grant an absolute discharge with no conviction to be recorded and I would ask that you pay cost to the crown of $2,000 or two weeks in the falls to be paid within 24 hours.
The ammunition was also ordered forfeited and destroyed.
Note to readers:
While the Cayman Islands has strict laws for unlicensed firearm possession, tourists are treated differently from Caymanians in the courts. Often, tourists get fines and no convictions recorded, while Caymanians typically get seven years or more for unlicensed firearm possession.
A freedom of information request was submitted to the courts in 2024 to obtain details of sentences for tourists and Caymanians. The purpose was to learn more about the extent of discrepancies in the treatment of Caymanians versus tourists. However, access to that information has not yet been granted.
