NBC 6 (WTVJ) Miami: Weston Marine Remains in Mexican Jail

Washington, DC, May 23, 2014
Andrew is a veteran U.S. Marine sergeant who's served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He's also picked up some powerful backers in Washington with lawmakers like Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Senator Marco Rubio.
BY Justin Finch
Jill Tahmooressi spent Mother’s Day without her son, Andrew, and it looks like she’ll spend Memorial Day at her Weston home without Andrew as well. Her son has been held in a Mexican jail for about two months on gun possession charges and it awaiting trial.
Andrew is a veteran U.S. Marine sergeant who’s served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He’s also picked up some powerful backers in Washington with lawmakers like Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Senator Marco Rubio.
Friday, Senator Rubio asked President Barack Obama to put the full resources and weight of the White House behind an effort to get Andrew back home. Senator Rubio’s message came after Jill said the family has received reassurances from the capital.
“Secretary (of State John) Kerry raised the issue on a trip to Mexico,” Jill told NBC 6.
Andrew’s journey started in March when he moved to San Diego, California for treatment of his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But a wrong turn sent Andrew across the Mexican border and he has been there ever since.
Andrew has said he never meant to cross the California border into Mexico and recently released 911 calls seem to back up his claim.
Andrew: “Ok, yeah, I was hoping that there would be a turnaround point, but there never was.”
Dispatcher: “There’s a turnaround point before you get across the border.”
Andrew: “Yeah, not where I was. There was no turnaround point.”
Dispatcher: “Well, that means that you were, well, way far down then. Unfortunately, you’re on Mexican soil. There’s nothing we can do. I apologize.”
Andrew gave an on-camera interview earlier this month to the San-Diego Union Tribune. During the interview, he told border patrol that he had all of his belongings in his truck, including weapons.
“I said, ‘I have three guns,’ and I showed them where the guns were,” Andrew said in the interview. “And they checked out the guns, and I say, ‘I didn’t even mean to be in Mexico.’”
Even though Andrew’s guns are licensed in the United States, he’s still being detained while awaiting trial. Jill Tahmooressi said she is staying in touch with her son and hoping that before the next holiday, he will be home with the family.
The Tahmooressi’s still have a White House petition they hope will garner 100,000 signatures, requiring a response from the Oval Office. The petition expires on May 31st, three days after Andrew is set to go on trial.