♪ but you got me from my head to my feet ♪ ♪ and i'm ready to dive ♪ [ cheers and applause ] this is "nightline." >> byron: tonight, trapped in paradise. the american father jailed while vacationing in turks and caicos. >> i remember pleading, "can't we just pay a fine? it was an honest mistake." the kids were crying when we said good. >> byron: arrested after he says he unknowingly carried hunting

ammunition in his checked luggage. one of four americans being held on that nation's new crackdown on firearms. >> the officer said, "you don't understand, you guys are both going to prison for 12 years." >> byron: pleading for leniency. >> one honest mistake. please don't let that define me. >> byron: how soon will they be able to come home? gabba cool. italian american culture is having a moment. from the nfl to mob wife fashion inspired by iconic film and tv, including "the sopranos." even a paisan, where ita and admirers converge to celebrate. ♪ >> byron: we go inside the takeover. and medal of freedom. the long way this 97-year-old traveler came to deliver her message. pain means pause on the things you love, but... green... means... go!

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♪ >> byron: good evening. thank you for joining us. tonight, american bryan hagerich is facing 12 years in a turks and caicos prison after authorities found what he says was hunting ammunition forgotten in his bags. his family's vacation in paradise turning into a nightmare. here's abc's matt rivers.

>> reporter: a shocking twist in a high-profile case grabbing headlines in a tropical paradise. >> yet another american was arrested for bringing ammunition to the turks and caicos. >> reporter: bryan hagerich, an american citizen, and his wife, learning he'll have to wait four more weeks to learn his fate for leaving ammunition in checked luggage in the turks and caicos. >> that's another four weeks. milestone events. daughter's graduation, dance recitals, entire baseball seasons. we're still steadfast in my goal to return home. >> reporter: how hard that is this week been? >> unbearable. >> just overwhelming in every regard. >> reporter: bryan's future tied to the island nation's strict 2022 law prohibiting unlicensed firearms and ammunition and carrying a mandatory 12-year prison sentence. what is your message to the judge as she considers your sentence? >> know that i'm a man of

character action integrity. did not have intent in this. that there are ways this can be dealt with, without separating my family for 12 years. i really hope that that's considered. >> reporter: out on bail but forced to stay on the main island, bryan is now living in an airbnb close to the local police station where he's required to check in every monday, wednesday, and friday. >> this is just unreal that we've met in such a strange way. >> reporter: bryan also has a roommate, american ryan watson from oklahoma who, oddly enough, is facing the same nightmare. >> it every night before bed, we're here just praying, talking. >> yeah. >> talking about our kids, our families. >> making plans for when we get back home. >> reporter: the pair sharing the same legal counsel, each of them charged with leaving unlicensed ammunition inside their bags. and bryan and ryan aren't alone.

recently, two other americans also facing the same serious charges. in a law that dates back as far as 2010, tourists and locals are prohibited from carrying firearms or ammunition. in the u.s., people can fly with unloaded firearms and ammunition in their checked luggage. over the following years, americans who were arrested for carrying ammo were briefly jailed, paid thousands of dollars in fines, and could come home. but in 2022, the island nation passed a stricter amendment to the law that now mandates the minimum 12-year prison sentence. abc news reached out to the government of turks and caicos, and so far has received no response. turks and caicos is an archipelago of 40 idyllic islands in the turquoise waters of the atlantic ocean just a two-hour flight from miami. so it's no surprise that the vast majority of its visitors are from the u.s. and canada. a bright red alert on the local u.s. embassy's website warns

american tourists of the island's strict laws on firearms. "we strongly encourage you to carefully check your luggage for stray ammunition or forgotten weapons. if you bring a firearm or ammunition into tci, we will not be able to secure your release from custody." >> when citizens of other countries come to the united states, we expect them to abide from united states law and hold them accountable if they don't. that is true for people traveling overseas in turks and caicos. firearms, ammunitions, or other weapons are prohibited. >> reporter: bryan says he didn't realize he was traveling with ammunition. >> then came the moment they fulled out the ammunition. and as i looked at it, i recognized it from home. this was hunting ammunition that i had purchased at home. >> reporter: ashley, his wife, in disbelief. their two kids crying. >> i remember pleading, "can't we just give this to you, pay a fine? it was an honest mistake."

it was a firm no. >> reporter: ashley and the children were free to fly home. bryan spent the next eight nights in a local jail. >> those were the absolute darkest days and nights of my life. >> reporter: ryan watson, now bryan's roommate, was arrested april 12th with his wife, valerie, as they departed the airport. found inside one of their bags, four bullets inside a small plastic bag. >> i was like, "hey, i'm so sorry, you can go ahead and dispose of those, i don't need them, didn't know they were in there." they're like, "no, you've got to stick around." >> reporter: ryan asked to call his parents, who were watching the couple's 7 and 9-year-old children at hold. >> "i need to let them know we're going to be late." the officer said, "you don't understand, you guys are both going to prison for 12 years." and that's when my wife -- she broke down. then when i heard her break down, i lost it as well. >> reporter: police eventually

released valerie, who then flew home. ryan remains out on bail in turks. >> i stand behind turks and caicos in what they're trying to accomplish, to, you know, get out in front of their gun violence that they're experiencing on the island. i don't feel like putting me or bryan in prison makes this island any safer. we both just made a mistake. >> reporter: as both men wait to learn their legal fates, they're holding on to hope. a judge may choose to impose a more lenient sentence if there are "exceptional circumstances." >> i'm a good person. we love this island, we love the people, we love the culture, everything about it. one honest mistake, please don't let that define me for the next 12 years. >> reporter: if and when you do go home, what are you going to do first? >> hug my kids.

yeah. that's -- that's all i want to do. nothing else. >> byron: our thanks to matt. when we come back, from mob wife fashion to tommy cutlass and p achlt. san-con, italian american culture. ♪ if you have mo italian american culture. ♪ ♪ to severe ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease... put it in check with rinvoq... a once—daily pill. when symptoms tried to take control, i got rapid relief... and reduced fatigue with rinvoq. check. when flares kept trying to slow me down... i got lasting steroid—free remission... with rinvoq. check. and when my doctor saw damage,... rinvoq helped visibly reduce damage of the intestinal lining. check. for both uc and crohn's: rapid symptom relief... lasting steroid—free remission... and visibly reduced damage. check. check. and check. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections,

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♪ >> byron: welcome back. italian americans have always been known to have pride in their heritage, but the latest

wave of cultural celebrations has italians in so-called honorary paisans alike all allowed places at the table. here's abc's ashan singh. >> today i'm going to make pasta -- >> reporter: whether showing off old-school cooking or celebs wearing big furs and lux leather -- >> mob wife era is in. >> reporter: leaning into the mob wife aesthetic, italian american culture is making a splash with gen-z posting memes and videos that showcase the fashion, the food, and the attitude. italian superstars going viral, such as joey grazide who stole america's hearts on the past season of "the bachelor." nfl quarterback tommy davido. it truly feels like italian american culture is having a moment right now.

♪ we're in fairfield, new jersey, right now. we've got people from all over the tristate area here to celebrate italian american culture. ♪ >> i love you, brother. >> i love you too. >> reporter: paisan-con is the brainchild of actor comedian nicky batito. >> i wanted to bring everything italian into one event. food, music, everything. >> real paisans and honorary? i'm an honorary paisan? >> absolutely. >> reporter: plenty of "paisans" want today say hello. >> how are you doing. >> another one of my mom's

favorites is here. >> reporter: what makes an italian american a pchaisan? >> keeping the heritage alive, keeping the slang alive, acknowledging your ancestors and how they came here. a lot of italians want to get into the gravy sauce thing. >> reporter: nicky hitting upon a controversial topic. >> the gravy sauce thing. >> she's going to say gravy, i know it. when you go to the store, what do you look for? a can of gravy sauce? it's toe matemato sauce, come o >> reporter: katherine and federico are proud paisans and stars of "the sopranos" with that iconic theme song. ♪ woke up this morning got yourself a gun ♪ >> reporter: federico known for his role as mob soldier pirio junta, who like federico is from naples. >> give me $1,000. >> reporter: were you able to bring some of that upbringing

and that tradition to the character? >> oh, yeah. that's one of the things that i thought they saw in me. david chase, i didn't know at the time, he says, "federico, hold on a second, where are you from?" "originally, i was born in naples. i came to new jersey in 1968." and he's like -- he had this big smile on his face, he said, "thank you." >> you run a restaurant -- >> reporter: katherine is also a fixture in this world, known for her "sopranos" role as charmaine, as well as appearances in classic films like "a bronx tale." >> i told you a thousand times not to go near that bar. >> reporter: what does it mean to be an italian american from harlem? >> i was so lucky to grow up there. was a melting pot. the sicilians and everything like that, but east harlem is special. it's almost like our "sopranos" family. >> reporter: mob movies are a classic film staple. italian american stories have been celebrated across other genres for decades with films

like "saturday night fever." ♪ staying alive ♪ >> reporter: or "moonstruck." >> i'm in love with you. >> snap out of it! >> reporter: also in attendance, one of the sports world's biggest celebs, tommy devito. known for a hock streak with the new york giants. >> devito keeps it is himself and he scores! >> reporter: tommy is all about family, still living with his parents in the house he grew up in. >> i come from a small town. everybody knows each other. being in my backyard, 12 minutes away from where i work, having my support system right there is tremendous. >> reporter: if you've not been raised here, how would you describe how unique it is? >> people describe it as everybody's your cousin. you can call everybody your cousin. people who don't know, "my

cousin." >> reporter: nicknamed tommy cutlets, he reinvented a famous italian hand touchdown gesture. >> there's no word for it. >> sean stiletto, the italian stallion of agents -- >> reporter: and attracted deals with brands. >> the official sauce of tommy cutlets. >> reporter: a super bowl commercial with pizza hut. his story became a testament to the tristate area. italian american way of life, fans seeing themselves in his journey. >> let's go, giants! >> go, giants! >> cutlets! tommy cutlets! >> i love the representation he gives. >> he's a paison-con, he's one of us. >> we all stick together. i'm sure many cultures do. it means more being in my backyard doing it with everybody

around me. >> reporter: as well as his agent, sean stiletto himself. >> tommy's not an overnight sensation. he's been balling from a young age. i truly believe the best is yet to come. >> reporter: figures like tommy in the sports world, a new fashion trend coming to the forefront, so-called mob wife aesthetic. >> clean girl is out, mob wife is in. >> reporter: a look categorized by leather, leopard, and luxury, with many inspired by iconic fits from film and tv. it doesn't mean you're actually in the mob. the looks just become a symbol for success, wealth, and confidence. >> babes, the mob wife aesthetic never went out of style. do you know who carmela soprano is? >> it's like, been there, done that. that's how people in the neighborhoods dress on an everyday basis, which i think is really cute and i love it. >> the mafia wife aesthetic. i wore a white fur custom dress to my christening. ♪

>> what's up, girl? how are you? >> reporter: drita devonzo is taking the social media trend to this lower east sidebar, hosting a dinner party for fans who appreciate the lifestyle. >> let me ask you a question, when the [ bleep ] are you coming home? >> reporter: when the style trend came back in vogue, her outfits went viral. >> you wake up in the morning, you know -- all of a sudden you're trending. you can say mob wives is a lifestyle, these fake big furs and jewelry and makeup, and it looks so beautiful. >> reporter: she says is actually albanian, now separated from her husband, lee divonzo, who in 2020 was sentenced to 64 months in prison for felony gun possession. prosecutors allege in court documents from a 2003 arrest divonza was a member of a racketeering enterprise with

connections to an organized crime family. the style is fun, but the life it's based on -- not always. >> you guys will get your ice cream, and the best part is what you're getting. i had to live with the rest of that ice cream, not good. you don't want the criminal on your arm. you just want the fake fur, the leopard prints, you look hot, you get a good guy, no stress, no jail, no problems. >> reporter: but regardless of how you dress or the slang you use, it's ultimately about loving your family and embracing your heritage in style. i got told i was an honorary p.a.i.s.a.n. today. >> i want to open our culture to people who aren't italian, i want everybody to be a part of it. >> byron: our thanks to ashan. when we return, the incredible feat accomplished by

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♪

>> byron: finally tonight, the grandmother of juneteenth awarded the nation's highest honor. eight years ago when she was 89, opal lee pledged to walk 1,400 miles from texas to washington to deliver a petition to congress to make juneteenth a national holiday. >> i thought if i did, people would take notice that juneteenth was special, that it meant freedom for everybody. >> byron: she finally made it during the pandemic in 2020 and was there when president biden signed it into law. and that's "nightline" for this evening. catch full episodes on hulu. we'll see you right back here same time monday. thanks for the company, america. have a good and safe weekend.