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Subscribe to RSSJon Hammar’s Marine veteran son is being held in a Mexican prison – and he’s desperate to bring him home safe.
“I don't know what to do to get him out before he gets killed,” he said.
The holidays have been unbearable for the Hammar family in Palmetto Bay – hoping each day that they'll soon see their son Johnny again.
They last saw him back in August, before he took off in a Winnebago with a friend for a road trip to Costa Rica, where the two planned to surf.
“I actually thought it would be a good idea for him to go to Costa Rica, but I wanted him to fly,” Olivia Hammar said.
A getaway is just what the 27-year-old Hammar needed. His service as a Marine includes stints in Afghanistan – where he worked a security detail for President Hamid Karzai –and patrols in Iraq. Hammar's family says he was deeply hurt by the loss of his close friend, Marine Cpl. Albert Gettings, in combat in Iraq's Fallujah section.
Grieving Daughter Asks for Public's Help
Days after Hammar left for Costa Rica, they learned he was being held in Mexico's Matamoros prison – charged with carrying an illegal weapon.
Even worse, they heard he was in the clutches of the Zetas, a dangerous drug gang. The Hammars say they were haunted by late-night phone calls.
The father described one. “You know, one o' clock in the morning, we have your son and this doesn't have anything to do with the police, we're gonna kill him if you don't send us money,” he recounted.
Said his wife, “At some point the phone calls stopped, so we assumed that he had been isolated. But you didn't know whether he had been isolated or he had been killed.”
For months, the Hammars have been trying to get their son home through Mexico's courts. But in recent weeks, they say their son has been pressured to plead guilty to the gun charge, which could land him 15 years behind bars.
The Hammars have also reached out to Washington, but have hit walls along the way.
“The response from everyone is Mexico is a sovereign nation, and, you know, we can't force them to do anything, which we know, but this is an outrage,” Olivia Hammar said.
An online petition is gathering signatures to try and help bring Johnny Hammar home. Click here for more information.
Leave a Comment:
Go to Mexico and die. NOT a nice place to visit.
Not a nice place to live either. Note to gun control crowd: In Mexica the police carry automatic weapons, and the (law abiding) citizenry can't have any weapon that chambers a military cartridge .... and look at how safe and secure the citizens are as a result.
i am not advocating what is going on in Mexico but,you have to be careful when traveling through a foreign country!!!.It is always a good thing to know some of the local laws before you go.Look what happened to that kid that got caned in Thailand.I don't think carrying a gun in a foreign country where you don't know the laws is a very good idea in any case.The U.S has laws and so does Mexico.U.S laws cannot be enforced in Mexico, nor do you have the same rights there that you do here.Personally i would be more than glad to help the parents but, i don't see where there is much a person could do.I would'nt recomend the parents go to Mexico because they might suffer the same fate.
You can travel to Europe, Australia, Northern Asia, Japan, China unarmed, but you can't travel to many nations south of the US without being armed if you don't fly.
There is nowhere I would travel south of the US without an armed escort or being part of a military detail.
Better to play it safe.
I heard of a couple sailing down those Latin American areas who got attacked on their boat by machetes. The natives swam out to attack them.
They need no provocation.
It actually is a really nice place to visit. Went for a vacation to Mexico City a few years ago and I'd totally go back again. You just have to do a little research first to know what to do and what not to do and you'll be just fine.
Also, even before you get to the border, there are signs saying "GUNS ILLEGAL IN MEXICO." He should've made some better decisions.
There has to be more to this story than the mother is saying. First of all, who the hell travel to another country carrying a gun for vacation. If you feel a need to protect yourself with a gun traveling to Costa Rica then you should not even be there.
What,.....because he a US Marine, he is above the law???
There's more to this story.
good luck with your return trip Nat, take a few illegals back with ya next time.
Mexico as other South American countries are very dangerous places. People that travel there take their lives in their own hands. You read attrocites that goes on in Mexico every day.
Yeah, misguided parents totally blind to realities of their son and Mexico. What do you expect Mexico to do with some PTSD-crazed trained-killer US Marine running around in their country with guns? Mexico is a lawless war-zone with daily blood-baths from murders, rapes and general mayhem in the continuous Mexican drug wars and totally corrupt government. The last thing any of these murdering criminal and government groups want is some PTSD-crazed trained-killer US Marine running around shooting up the place and spraying bullets everywhere. No sane person would ever want to go there and absolutely not to drive from one end of it to the other going to Costa Rica to ride some surf.
"Atrocities" happen everywhere. I'm glad so many of you hate Latin America, that leaves us to enjoy the beautiful countries without all you ignorant tourists!!!
@ goldfish.... Just whose military armed escort are YOU entitled to??? The military and police have zero obligation to protect anyone except their officers and elected officials. Their only obligation is to the lawful orders of superiors (the military and police) and as officers of the courts (the police). The courts have decided this continuously and repeatedly. This is why no sane person would want to drive through Mexico, a complete war zone run by drug cartels and totally corrupt government, police and military. The best thing the US could do with Mexico is to destroy the road and rail bridges, landmine the entire border and completely seal off the border. Mine the waters between the US and Mexico to stop the boat traffic and shoot down any aircraft going either direction. That would stop the cartels, illegals and the US money that pays for all that. It would also stop all the innocent US victims of the Mexican drug wars.
Dear Friends:
The law is important and it is intended to protect the innocent. The nation of Mexico and the USA are allies.
This man has served this nation to protect not only the USA and others such as Mexico. Was there a reason that he carried the gun? Did he use the gun? No matter if these men or woman are drug involved or not he is someone that protected these nations and their citizens in their nation and here in the USA from the types of attacks of 9/11.
In this season of the Holidays I personally plead to these persons and in the name of God almighty to not harm him. Is he in need of being released to the USA for stress syndrome or fatigue from the military active experience, that he carried a gun?
In the name of God Almighty I call for prayers for his release as quickly as possible for World Peace and an example of Mexico example of faith and support as an allies.
Peace on Earth and Good Will toward men and mankind. Amen.
Please for the name of the Holy Father, Holy Son and Holy Ghost Amen.
Costa Rica the same.
Pray to Satan you get better results. Faster and better quality.
Choose Brand X. With brand X you get a grin agin and agin.
Satan makes a better lover! That's right! Jesus didn't have sex! He was a eunuch! Yeah! See?! That's where he got his angst for turning over tables and stuff and the bravery to challenge the establishment!
Testosterone build up!
Be careful killer goldfish. You keep talking like that and you'll be swimming in a sea of hell-fire for eternity.
Well, that's what i was told.
You were told wrong. The dragon has authority over the Pope.
If I say that blasphemy is okay.
Then its okay.
Yeah! See?! Yeah! ***Bugsy Malone impression
Excuse me, but you actually attempting to question my authority to blaspheme?
You keep talking like that and you will wind up dating old church mice.
That's a hell all its own if you ask me. You know the church piano player Jesus suck ups who play the piano at their local church trying to attract altar boys "Look at my dedication to Christ!" And they don't even like sex!
Did he tell the people of Mexico that their laws do not apply to him? Someone should resend them the memo.
Goldfish=PAB
Did he illegally carry a weapon into Mexico or not? That is the question.
The braindead among us thinks every nation is cool except the USA. Guns, drugs? In Mexico? Who will care?
Remember this as you make your excursions into our antagonistic neighbors. They despise you for your status and will make an example of you.
Unfortunately for this young man who was willing to give his blood for our nation, the State & Justice Depts allowed guns to walk into Mexico and they are pissed over the 200+ civilians killed due to Fast & Furious.
Someone's going to jail over that bullsh!t. It's not going to be Eric (babykiller) Holder or Hillary Ramrod Clinton.
I found a list of acronyms and was trying to determine which meaning you intended.
Here is the list.
PAB
Panama Balboa (ISO currency code)
PAB
Personal Address Book (Microsoft Outlook)
Pab
Pyrococcus Abyssi
PAB
Polyclonal Antibody
PAB
Philadelphia Architects and Buildings
PAB
Podcasters Across Borders (Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Quebec, Canada)
PAB
Private Activity Bond
PAB
Planning Advisory Board
PAB
Pick A Brick (Lego shop)
PAB
Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters
PAB
Peek A Boo (children's game)
PAB
Patti Ann Browne (TV news anchor)
PAB
Public Accountants Board (Singapore)
PAB
Passenger Air Bag
PAB
Punk Ass Bitch
PAB
Performing Arts Building (Virginia Tech)
PAB
Prior Authorization of Benefits
PAB
Projected Available Balance
PAB
Patrick Air Force Base (Florida)
PAB
Programming and Activities Board (Associated Students of Arizona State University; Phoenix, AZ)
PAB
Public Affairs Branch
PAB
Protected At Birth (neonatal tetanus)
PAB
Pension Appeal Board (Canada Pension Plan)
PAB
Premature Atrial Beat
PAB
Pain Assessment Battery
PAB
Peanut Advisory Board
PAB
Payback's A Bitch
PAB
Parts Advisory Board
PAB
Payment Arrangement Broken
PAB
Physical Address Buffer
PAB
Passive Aggressive Behavior (psychology)
PAB
Performance Assurance Board (Elexon Ltd.; UK)
PAB
Progressive Adult Beverage (alcohol product)
PAB
Poster Audit Bureau
PAB
Plant and Animal Biotechnology
PAB
Property Accounting Branch (NAVCOMPT)
PAB
Peripheral Attack Bomber
PAB
Pointe Aux Barques (Michigan)
PAB
Per Ardua Beagles (UK)
PAB
Postapplication Bake
PAB
Preliminary as Built
PAB
Percutaneous Aspiration Biopsy
PAB
Polyaspartate Biopolymer
PAB
Personal Accident Benefits (insurance coverage)
PAB
Personal Acting Body
PAB
Product Assurance Board (Indian Space Research Organisation)
PAB
Posterior Axillary Boost (radiotherapy)
PAB
Provincial Adjudication Board
PAB
People Against Boredom (Riverside, CA band)
PAB
Prosecuting Attorney's Board
I am assuming you were intending punk a$$ bitch.
You know me well! :)
Or..
People
Against
Boredom
It is always a terrible situation for Americans to be caught in a foreign country and breaking one of their laws. But to also have the Zeta drug gang involved is even more devastating. Why this Marine veteran was carrying a weapon, I can clearly understand, but the ramifications are costly it is clear. I hope our government will apply pressure to help And I pray things will get resolved soon for he and his family's sake and serve as a reminder for other Americans of what can happen when travelling.
"Why this Marine veteran was carrying a weapon, I can clearly understand, "
I don't understand why he was carrying a gun when it is illegal there. His father says it is "an outrage" - but he doesn't say that the guy was innocent.
If a foreigner breaks our law and is put in jail as a result, is that an outrage? Mexico is another country; if someone breaks the law and is imprisoned, why is it an outrage?
You forget, people, that he isn't in jail, per say, he is being held by a drug gang. Or just some bad Mexicans who are trying to get money by saying they are a drug gang. Either way, he's not in the local jail doing time...he's surrounded by bad people who are trying to extort money from someone else.
Did I miss it or did the article say what happened to his friend? Perhaps this is one of those weird plots where he and his friend are doing all of this for money? Sorry, watching too much True TV.
I just hope he gets home safe. He went to service for us, and deserves a good life.
No American should travel to Mexico if they value their life, the country is lawless and corrupt.
Gene, that is not necessarily true in some areas. My older sister and her husband retired to and live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico about a year ago and they love it! They were very careful to check any pertinent laws regarding foreigners in Mexico, are careful to obey them, and have had no problems and love living there. They rent a small house for a fraction of what they would pay in the Bay Area of CA where they previously lived. It helps that Puerto Vallarta has a fairly large enclave for American ex-pats.
Someone once pointed out that if you go to all the tourist destinations in Mexico you will see the nicer things in life down there. But go to the real Mexico, where the real citizenry lives, no fancy hotels and such...totally different.
yeah and obama the @!$%# head wants to legalize illegal immigrnats from that @!$%#hole
OK he was carrying a gun because he was in MEXICO I would too they dont arrest the locals for carrying.We will trade him for 20,000 of theirs THEY SUCK AND ALWAYS WILL. How long are we going to put up with this stuff they are just wanting money,bad guys a the supposely good guys.
Problem is we'd have to TAKE 20,000 as a trade off as opposed to giving 20,000 back.
STAY OUT OF MEXICO!
The Mexican laws are selectively enforced for the benefit of the corrupt government. There is a law in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico that bans the skyrockets that blast the houses of people living in that city. I complained often about the illegal use of these horrible noise makers and the city officials, police and the head of the church refuse to deal with the priests who are breaking the law daily.
The worst offenders are the two priests, of the Parroquia de Divina Providencia in Puerto Vallarta, Jose Refugio Palomera and Juan Luis Refugio. Do not expect a peaceful, tranquil stay if you visit Puerto Vallarta.
"charged with carrying an illegal weapon"
He should have bought a "fast and furious" weapon, holder and obama would have had his back.
As a marine his first duty is to escape. If your in mexico and are arested you must try to escape at once.
The longer you wait the harder it will be. Always carry a gun, kill them and run for the boarder. personaly i wouldn't go to the @!$%# hole.
I believe his first duty to escape would be from a prisoner of war camp. This guy was caught breaking a law, so he wound up in prison. Doesn't matter where he is or if he is a veteran or not. One should respect the laws of any country one is in.
On the surface it seems like he was a great patriot but if he was violating another countries laws wouldnt he get arrested in the same way a foreigner visiting the USA would? Not sure I can understand why we should expect any special treatment for him any more than a foreigner visitors family should expect any from us. What am I missing here?
Foreign nationals break our laws on a daily basis and get away with it so don't talk about special treatment. (illegal immigration in case you were wondering what laws I'm talking about.)
But let's not forget that under Obama more illegal aliens have been deported than ever, and the immigration officers have concentrated their efforts on those who have committed other crimes as well.
By the way, entering a country illegally or overstaying a visa is not a crime per se, it is a breach of regulations, not punishable by imprisonment. Those who are held in immigration detention centers are those who refuse to leave the country (I believe).
There should be a new agreement type among nations where sentences are served in the person's own country, and the legal proceedings thereafter are carried out with a special judge from the accused nationality. So many people in other countries are looking to "stick" it to americans, and get a big power trip causing unnessissary harm based on otherwise minor violations.
Its simply too dangerious for a US citizen to spend time in a 3rd world jail.
WTH ?????............jail is jail. dumb@$$
Alex5150
Apparently you have no clue how GOOD American jails are compared to foreign ones. Just watch a few episodes of locked up abroad. If your family does not provide you food/clothing/necessities in Mexico you don't get anything.. unless you ummm trade putting it politely.
Alex enjoys trading.
Why should the American taxpayers financially support a fellow citizen who has broken the law of another country? It costs well over 50 grand to support a convict in this country. If one knowingly and willfully breaks a law in another country (which appears to be the case here) one should do the time in that country. It is not our duty to protect the safety of one of our citizens when s/he is a convicted criminal.
See what happens to foreigners when they break a law in Mexico.
They throw them in their hellhole jails and prisons, where they have to
wait and wait and wait until there judgement is passed on them.
In the meantime, many millions of Mexicans live in this country out in the
open, all at the invitation of Uncle Sam and the state govts.
amen or politicians are corrupt as any int he thirld world, selling out america to these people,,,they @!$%# congressman Guitterez wanting to legitmize all thses illegals, i question his goals while he was born in usa he lived much of his life in puerto rico and now he has the balls to tell us tpo make all these hispanics legal? why so they can ruin our culture! fuccck him
Knowing what is known about the current conditions in place, what kind of moron would carry a weapon into Mexico? This is probably a PTSD issue, but doesn't meet standards of commonsensical behavior. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time...
I wouldn't drive a Stryker through Mexico let alone a motor home.
If he had a weapon, he broke Mexican law. Doesn't anyone recognize that? Being a U.S. Marine vet doesn't put you in any special category in a foreign nation. Sorry, dude!
Thank you. One of the things they teach you early in any military enlistment is 'You must obey the laws of the country you are in.' He was foolish enough to carry a gun into a country where it isn't legal. This story has the word 'Mexico' in it so it gives all the sneerers their opportunity to talk about how awful Mexico is, but if he flew to any country in Europe with a gun in his luggage and then was caught carrying it around, he would be in jail there too.
The 12 million here are breaking our laws. Do you not recognize that???
@Nana: What do illegal immigrants have to do with this story??
i guess he figured that since all the mexicans here break our laws it was ok for him to do it as well..bit of hypocrisy here dont you think??????????
nat it has a lot to do with the story,,story of foreigners breaking local laws,,or is that too much for you to grasp?
If he broke their law then he deserves to go jail. Americans have a bad attitude about Mexico and Mexicans. Mexicans are friendly, family type of people. It is safer in Mexico than the United States, that is a fact, look it up. The police in America are just as corrupt if not worse. I live in Mexico as many other ex-patriots from America and feel very safe. If you are polite and respect their culture then you will have no problem, however, if you have an attitude and expect special treatment because of whatever then expect the worse. Living in the United States is laughable once you have experienced the Mexican culture. Food is cheap, doctors visit your home at no cost, dental is much more realistic, family means much more, respect is giving no matter what your color, education is better. Americans need to get off their "high and mighty" cloud and realize they are a third world nation now. Just because a few per cent live well off and everyone is brainwashed by television into thinking they are the best does not mean they are the worlds best. I hope his family accepts the facts and if he violated the law then he must serve the time. I wish everyone the best.
Oh yes Dan it's so much safer in Mexico where you can be kidnapped or beheaded. Those things are nothing compared to the horrors going on in the U.S.
Their judicial system, healthcare, yup all those things are much better than the U.S. This must be why they cross the border risking all to get here. Oh wait, yeah...
You must have a very high I.Q. to have figured this out all by yourself. Kudos!
ROFL @ phucking lame ass trollers.
Dan-3822846
I hope you renounced your citizenship and are a Mexican citizen.. if not, you must not be 100% convinced of your own words. Last I heard the murder rate per capita is just a BIT higher south of the border and they don't discriminate.. men, women, children, criminal, law enforcement. While the USA may not be PERFECT, I'll take it over ANY other nation on the planet past, present or foreseeable future.
Dan, you talk like an expat. Thanks for seeing the real Mexico. People in the US are blind and only see what they want which is why things are as bad as they are. They think this is the land of the "free" but so many people are leaving the country due to all the insanity here. The only people that get what they want are the GOP, the rich and the religious right, everyone else has to put up with the crazies.
I for one don't want them knowing about the quality of life elsewhere, they deserve to stay in the US, while those of us who travel the world get to see and compare. This is the reason so many people leave the US and settle in other countries. For those that think that people are still dying to get into the US, pay attention: there is negative immigration now, in the future your kids ( all those that aren't the 1%) will be the field workers and the working poor since the 1% won't let them go to college anymore) so hope you're happy with this. The only people that used to come to the US where those that didn't have anything in their home countries but there are millions still there living a good life, don't kid yourself.
I will also be leaving as soon as I am able to.... no way I am staying in this country with the way things are shaping up if the 1% get their way.... Corruption? It's ALL over there folks, just look around, Congress is bought and sold so nothing will get done that big money doesn't want done. It's over and so are your freedoms so don't kid yourself.... Laws? Here? Only if you've got the $ to pay for it.... It's really laughable, starting with the destruction of the unions (for the benefit of the rich again), the breaking of the education system, the rich want small government so no one gets any services (they can afford to pay for them but you can't) and it will again be a buyer's market and you're not the buyer, open your eyes!!!
Hey, Garcia, All you have to do is go to ICE and turn yourself in. They'll ship you back to your beloved Mexico. Oh, wait. Maybe not. King Hussein doesn't want to lose your vote.
Dan, "Polite and respect their culture"? Like they do ours, right? Idjit.
Once worked with a guy from Mexico...he told me how bad it is down there...and cops...can't trust them...maybe that was why he was up here.
have a nice trip garcia, and take your 11 million relatives with you and holder and hussein O for good measure
We make the mistake of letting all illegal mexicans over here unanwsered for!! They don't abid by our laws(dan). We protect them,while they run acoss our country thinking we owe them freedom without seeking the proper papers to be here. Let our young man go,or we should go get him,just as we would if he were taken in the middleast. Shame on our govt. for not taken action for this young man and his family.
A Mexican, legal or "illegal", caught carrying an illegal handgun in the U.S. would be arrested. That is what happened to this American in Mexico. So now we should send a SEAL team into Mexico to "go get him"?! You watch too many movies. We don't do that even for active duty military arrested for violating the laws of the country they are in. He screwed up. Just because he did it in Mexico doesn't make him the victim/martyr here.
"Mexico Mexico, blahblahblah. Let me tell you all about Mexico. I've heard all about it on the teevee and the internets. You know, 'the meeedia' which I despise and distrust unless it is telling me what I want to hear. Them Mexicans blahbetyblahbetyBLAH! And you'll DIE! Be VERY AFRAID!"
Would this article even exist if the guy had been arrested in Canada or Italy or...Norway?
Sounds like someone misses home?
in Italy, Americans wind up in the hospital because of unruly soccer crowds........remember that one?
you think there might be a trend here? Americans being idiots abroad?..........
"Sounds like someone misses home?"
Whew, you are asTUTE! If it wasn't for the fact that I'm Irish/Lithuanian born in Tennessee and raised in upstate N.Y. you woulda' had me all figured out.
no because we arent inundated with illegals from those countries
Probably on his way to Costa Rica or somewhere in the south to sale or trade American made wepons for white powder, that was only the sample model.
Mexico is not Disney World. Nor is it safe to take your own vehicle there. All it takes is one crooked cop seeing your vehicle and deciding he'd like to have it. You will be stopped and drugs planted in your vehicle and you will go to jail and some cop or cartel thug will get your vehicle. If you have a wreck in Mexico, the drill is to leave the keys in the vehicle and run away. Do not stick around to 'help' the cops investigate. You are a gringo and you are at fault. Costa Rica is not much better, but the cartels have yet to take over the whole country. Better to stay in the US and not die. Yes, it really is that dangerous.
You are ignorant. Your chances of dying in street violence in any big city in the US are far greater than in any large Mexican city. There are crooked cops on both sides of the border. There are crooked politicians on both sides of the border. You cultural bias is not only inaccurate, it promotes hatred. Let those who are without sin cast the first stone.
Why not just do like everyone else does and pay the bribe.
EXACTLY !! you would be paying a bribe here also in one way or another............
GOD bless that young man and his family. an "Our Father" goes out in his name..................Amen.
There is so much information being posted by lunatic here. We have lived in Mexico for almost six years, with our own car, also. We live in a very peaceful and pleasant city. There is no violence here and we feel more comfortable here than we ever did in places like New Orleans, Chicago, LA, and Houston. This young Marine violated the laws of Mexico. THINK A MINUTE: What would happen to a young Mexican entering the US of A with a gun.....? Duh. He'd be in jail too. The Mexican government only does to US citizens what the US government does to Mexican citizens. AND the self-righteous bigots scream and hollar. Get a life and please, do us a favor, don't ever come here....we don't need you to transport your hatred. Keep it in the US of A.
the 'young mexican' would scream racism, sharpton woould scream racism, guitterez would scream racism. and there would be 100,000 other illegals demonstrating for his release and obama would say,,this could be my son,,and he would go free with $5,000,000 in compensation for his injuries
Being a veteran does not always equate to being intelligent. Carrying a weapon in a foreign country is just stupid. Was probably looking for drugs.
"Being a veteran does not always equate to being intelligent. Carrying a weapon in a foreign country is just stupid."
YES.
(Not sure about the drug part, but totally agree with your first two sentences.)
why would anyone drive through Mexico?
Yes, it doesn't seem like a smart thing to do.....
WHy doesn't Obama and the government demand that he be frees. If it was an illlegal Mexican in a United States jail there would be thousands of people yelling and screaming for his release, politicians would be demanding an immediale release of him, offering him free medical, housing, food stamps and a large settlement for false arrest and a formal appology from Oabam for misstreating him.
But a United States combat veteran, no you are on your own. We are going to turn our back on you because you probable were causing trouble there.
OBAMA WILL BOW DOWN TO ANY FORIEGN GOVERNMENT BEFORE DEFENDING OUR SOLDIERS. HE IS A DIRTY LITTLE MUSLIM @!$%#......
Get a bunch of us old veterans together and send us down there fully equp]ipped and we will bring him back. NO ONE LEFT BEHIND MEANS SOMETHING TO US.......
Obama is not going to help an American abroad. Heck, Obama kills Americans abroad with drones. The US has a President who hates Americans and demonstrates that hate daily. No jobs, more taxes, hell fire missile shot, ...