South Florida

Mother of Andrew Tahmooressi, Marine Jailed in Mexico, Back in South Florida

Wearied but hopeful, the mother of a Weston Marine jailed in Mexico returned to South Florida Wednesday morning after traveling to attend court hearings.

Jill Tahmooressi said she hoped she'd be coming home with her son, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who has been in Mexican custody facing weapons charges since he was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on April 1 with three U.S.-registered guns in his possession.

"One day is one day too long, he needs to be back in the states," she said.

The courtroom was too crowded for her to sit in on Monday's hearing but when it ended, the judge let her spend 20 minutes with her son, she said.

"He was sad, you know, that he had to go back to El Hongo, the penitentiary," Jill Tahmooressi said.

Jill Tahmooressi says her son made a wrong turn in the dark while driving in southern California and crossed the border at San Ysidro.

The Marine served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and was in the San Diego area to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. His mother said he needs to continue the treatment as soon as possible.

"I'll be just horrified if I need to start planning to purchase a winter coat and mailing it to...it gets very cold in that prison, I understand it can get down to like 40 degrees," Jill Tahmooressi said. "We're patient, we have to be, I mean, we have no other choice."

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