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Mother of Former Marine Held in Mexican Prison: ‘We Need This to End Fast’

Dec. 11, 2012 8:30pm Erica Ritz

Family of Former Marine Jon Hammar, Held in Mexican Prison, Begs Government to Take Action

(Photo via Fox News)

The family of a south Florida marine veteran is pleading for help in securing 27-year-old Jon Hammar’s release from a Mexican prison, where he has been held for roughly 4 months on what they describe as “trumped-up” gun charges.

Fox News explains:

In August, Hammar was traveling through Mexico on his way to Costa Rica for a surfing trip. He approached U.S. Customs about bringing along a gun that belonged to his great-grandfather. They advised him that he’d have to fill out a registration form and declare the weapon immediately upon crossing the border. Hammar tried to do just that, but was immediately arrested and has been in prison ever since.

(Photo: Fox News)

Reuters has some information on how Hammar, who reportedly suffers from PTSD from the years he spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, is being treated in Mexico:

His ordeal there, in one of the most violent corners of Mexico, has included being shackled to a bed and receiving death threats and extortion demands from drug cartel gangsters who run the prison known as CEDES in Matamoros like their personal fiefdom, Hammar’s parents say.

“He’s getting more and more hopeless,” said [his mother] Olivia Hammar, who is the publisher of an architecture and interior design magazine.

He was isolated from the general population of the prison, at the request of U.S. Consular officials, after his parents received late-night phone calls saying he would be killed if they failed to make $1,400 payments into a Western Union account to ensure his safety.

“This is just an outrageous case,” said Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee and considers Hammar “a hero” because of his combat duty. [Emphasis added]

Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio have also tried to help, the family says, but the results are virtually nonexistent. The State Department, which has a 2013 budget of over $51 billion, has also failed to make any tangible progress.

Hammar’s father, Jon Hammar Sr., weighed in: “We just don’t understand how it’s possible in a modern global world that we can have a neighbor so close that we’re so far away from.”

Bottom line, Hammar’s mother told Fox News today: “We need to end this fast.”

Watch her entire interview, via Fox News, below:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (74)

paulwbrown
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:55am
Obama spoke up (“the police acted stupidly”) for his good bud, Skip, when he was arrested by the Cambridge police at Harvard, and when the white Hispanic defended himself against an attack by Trayvon Martin (if I had a son, he would look like Trayvon). I guess Hammar not being black, gets no public support from our illustrious president. Not surprising.

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RedPepper2
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:38am
Mexico has a drug cartel problem. Mexico has an unemployment problem. Mexico has a corruption problem within their police and government. Mexico supports illegals crossing the US/Mexican border because the added revenue from illegals within the US is Mexico second largest income. And the US State Department headed by Hillary Clinton has no authority involving American citizens being arrested in Mexico.Is it just me or is something amiss here? Is our elected officials doing their jobs or are American citizens being scammed?

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cdn1979
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 9:31am
let me get this straight. this guy crosses an international border with a firearm and goes to jail. pretty straight forward. love your guns, but love them in your own country. and he’s a marine. so what? what does that have to do with anything. he still broke the law. why on earth is anyone mad at mexico. this guy is a tool and deserves whatever he has coming to him.

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:32am
  The title says that the MOTHER OF THE MARINE IS BEING HELD IN PRISON….or is it the MARINE being held in prison??????????????
  
  Report this comment
- cdn1979
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:46am
  it’s the marine
  
  Report this comment
- grimmster
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 12:29pm
  @cdn1979 aka encinom.
  You are the “tool” you little puke, now go play wow like a good little momma’s boy, you pos….
  
  Report this comment
- happ77
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 12:41pm
  A$$whole did you read the part where he asked
  customs what he needed to do to bring the
  gun with him legally. Funny we never heard
  anything about this in the MSM, oh wait he’s
  white.
  
  Report this comment
patriotteapress
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 9:14am
Let’s see. Going to Costa Rica via Mexico, what could possibly go wrong? Going through Mexico with a gun, what could possibly go wrong? Traveling through the remote southern mountains of Mexico, what possibly could go wrong? Traveling through a country where 10′s of thousands of people have been killed in recent years due to cartels, what could possibly go wrong? Accidentally bumping into a Mexican drug cartel with a gun in your hand, much less a 410 shotgun, what possibly could go wrong? And then there’s the Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan and Costa Riccan borders to cross. What possibly could go wrong with these plans.

Don’t get me wrong. I feel sorry for the mom and the son’s situation, but where’s the common sense leading up to this. In general have American’s become so use to people covering for them when they do stupid stuff, that they can’t think things through?

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Minnaloushe
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 9:02am
I suggest a measured response: drop a 20-megaton nuke on Acapulco and then tell them Mexico City is next unless they cough him up alive and well. It’s the only way to be sure.

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RIGHT_WHERE_IT_HURTS
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:42am
I thought all of America was a Mexican prison.

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- ginger100
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 9:35am
  You must mean the United States is becoming a Mexican prison because of the Democrat cartels ability to extort money from it’s prisoners to pay the guards
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 9:48am
  I think he means that Mexico released thousands of prisoners and told them to head north to the US. Cheaper that way for them. Maybe we should do the same. We have them outnumbered as far as prisoners go.
  
  Report this comment
jamestoms
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 7:37am
GI’s better wake up…you mean nothing to government, just fodder for cannons…yes run save a do gooder doctor, but not you….save some hickers, but not you, save Holders job, but border agents can die, stupid mexican is taking the blame for Holder…murderer

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- loriann12
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:00am
  If you’ve ever been in a VA Hospital, you would know just how true your statement really is. this government is upset that these veterans didn’t die for their country and be done with.
  
  Report this comment
- FeralHuman
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:31am
  The Obama White House regime hates white people, successful people, and soldiers. They want us all to die and send them all of our money. There is no godliness in any of these people who align themselves with the regime.
  If you have come to this country illegally they will give you my money. If you kill whitey they will give you medals and money.
  
  Report this comment
- mikem1969
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:40am
  So he was doing what the law required and was arrested for it.
  
  TO ALL US MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, the U.S government is not your friend and they do not give a rats butt about you. We the people do care and have your backs. The time has come to remember your oath to protect this country from enemies both foreign and domestic because we have MANY DOMESTIC ENEMIES IN WASHINGTON DC. Do your duty, I know I will.
  
  Report this comment
- MONICNE
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:30am
  Folks are vocally and visibly grateful to our war fighting heroes. Three percent of Americans have served in uniform – which means 97% of Americans benefit from our free society but pay through other means. Some folks actually do visit a VA hospital now and then – to make things better.
  
  So I guess for other people, constantly working to lower “spending” by eliminating any and all Federal taxes, is just a way to be unfaithful to the all volunteer military who depends on a strong Government.
  
  It’s ironic that when I was growing up, my father and it seems like most other neighborhood dads were WWII veterans. Even though they were different on the outside, they seemed to respect each other and fostered a real sense of community. Most had been drafted. They all hated Hitler and the Nazis. They all supported whoever was President and had respect for opposing party’s viewpoints.
  
  Nowadays, volunteers do all the war fighting and rich folks respect Hitler more than Obama.
  
  Weird, huh?
  
  Report this comment
ObserverOnTheHill
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 7:03am
In the 70′s I had a good friend who was locked up in Mexico for weed. They only released him after there was no more money to be spent on “Mexican lawyers”. It is basically a ransom scenario down there and once they’ve tapped you dry there is no longer a reason to hold them.

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countryfirst
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 5:52am
If only he had been black, Then not knowing all the facts Barry could at least say “ the Mexican government acted stupidly” “or if he had a son he would look like him”.

The man that takes up space in our oval office is pathetic, we would be better off with a manikin. Or better a true likeness would be called a manfromkina.

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- ashestoashes
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 6:30am
  Bill Richardson..former governor of New Mexico as I understand was born in Mexico and brought in by the Clintons.. He was a disaster for New Mexico..but the one great thing that I did note about him was that he was good at getting Americans imprisoned in other countries back home..The guy has roots in Mexico..
  
  Report this comment
- ashestoashes
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 2:35pm
  Nix that about Bill Richardson..someone in the political realm told me that it was the state department that made the deals..and then sent Richardson after them to take the glory..because they were going to set him in higher places..but the corruption involving him was so bad that they edged him on out..
  
  Report this comment
Jaxco
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 4:19am
we should hunt down EVERY border jumper and anchor baby we have here, throw them in a tent city for a year, living on whatever they can produce then ship all that survive by rail to the deepest spot in mexico.

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betterpart
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 3:40am
Obenghazi didn’t even have the backs of 4 Americans and blamed their deaths on some stupid video. Hope he’ll take action with this US Marine.

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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:25am
  Very good point. I am sure Obummer could care less and hates our US military to begin with. On another note, I would not be doing anything gun related in another country, especially the cartel-run Mexico….
  
  Report this comment
drenfroe
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 2:04am
Obamas daughter vacations over there so why in the heck hasn’t he done anything. Is the guy too white for him or what. He couldn’t stick his nose in the Trevan Martin case quick enough or the immigration border crap quick enough but ignores this.This administration doesn’t seem to want to protect Americans in foreign countries at all.

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- Cavallo
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 10:05am
  Marine —– White —- Carrying a gun —–
  
  Three strikes according to Obama. If there is enough alternative media coverage they might see advantage in getting him out, but otherwise, they’ll let him rot.
  
  Report this comment
demsrtraitors
Posted on December 12, 2012 at 12:03am
do you think NObama and the liberals care about a White Marine? He let 4 White Americans get murdered in Libya for Gods sake. What would he care about this man? Ohhh but let a black friend get in an argument with a white cop and see how quickly he has something to say

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- banjarmon
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:39am
  I’m Getting my congressman involved to put pressure on our government to save this MARINE!!!!
  Send in the SEALS!!!!
  
  Report this comment
McgarnaglesLunch
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:55pm
Once again, Obama has left a member of this country behind. 4 months is deplorable. They don’t care about Marines. Not enough ratings appeal.

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taintso
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:22pm
Why not work out an exchange we got over 11million we could trade for one.

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- jman-6
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:35pm
  That’s not funny…because its true! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA LMBO
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:46pm
  No Jman, tell them it is extortion, but we will take the trade in spite of our misgivings :)
  
  Report this comment
- k8ti
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 1:42am
  lol…because Mexico doesn’t want it’s poor citizens back! They encourage them to come here and mooch!
  
  Report this comment
- FeralHuman
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:34am
  Such a great idea, except the Mexican government does not want any of their citizens back.
  
  Report this comment
ZAP
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:38pm
How come Mexico didn’t lock Holder up for all the guns he brought in ???

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:25pm
Obama does not care about this Marine because he is white. Now…if Obama can make some kind of propaganda ploy out of it he may consider it. Other than that….pay the money and bribe them to let him out. We all know what we would do to set the Marine free but we are Americans and obama is not. I say we being jailing as many illegals as we can find for crossing our borders illegally and then trade them for the Marine. If that did not work…then…it is going to be an ‘international incident’….lol.

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BigDaddyTex
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:17pm
I was arrested and charged with being a “gun runner” in Ciudad Acuna (across from Del Rio, Texas) for having half a box of twelve guage shotgun shells loaded with number 8 bird shot buried in the bottom of my truck’s toolbox back in ’97. I had forgotten about them after dove season about 8 months earlier. They confiscated my truck. Put me in jail. LUCKILY, I was out of jail late that night, but the whole thing cost me over $2,000. I got off light compared to this poor guy! My one and ONLY time in Mexico!
I wouldn’t spit on that third world peace of garbage country if it was burning to the gound!
LOCK THAT FRICKIN’ BORDER DOWN AND SCREW ‘EM!!!
But let’s get that young man back FIRST!!

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- oldguy49
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:38pm
  sorry for his troubles but just like the doctor they had to rescue in afganistan i feel if you are going to put yourself in that position that you know is bad you are on your own…………….
  
  Report this comment
- MDECKER
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:47pm
  There is a little thing called, “Fast and Furious”, that is currently hanging over our president’s head. When you deal with the Devil…
  
  Report this comment
- jman-6
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:33pm
  He did what customs told him to do so I don’t exactly see your point. To compare a situation of some dumb do gooder doctor in Afghanistan to a traveler thru Mexico is ludicrous!
  
  Report this comment
Old Truckers
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:12pm
Well he was in Mexico, and bad things happen to gringo’s in Mexico. That’s a fact!

I would suggest that we all stay out of that place.

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- Max jones
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:28pm
  The 10 kingdoms of the new world order has logically added mexico to the kingdom that is the U.S. and canada. They want the entire NAFTA corridor under hispanic control-from texas to canada. 12 million illegals starts to make sense.
  
  The Ten Kingdoms of the New World Government
  
  Kingdom 1: Canada and the United States of America (mexico added)
  Kingdom 2: European Union – Western Europe
  Kingdom 3: Japan
  Kingdom 4: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel and Pacific Islands
  Kingdom 5: Eastern Europe
  Kingdom 6: Latin America – Mexico, Central and South America(mexico moved)
  Kingdom 7: North Africa and the Middle East (Moslems)
  Kingdom 8: Central Africa
  Kingdom 9: South and Southeast Asia
  Kingdom 10: Central Asia
  more info…..http://www.remnantofgod.org/nl0606.htm
  
  Report this comment
- Blacktooth
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:34pm
  Max Jones.
  
  Where did you get the idea of “The Ten Kingdoms of the New World Government”?
  
  Are there scriptures supporting that phrase? I do not understand your comment.
  
  Report this comment
bearfoot25
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:06pm
@CANADAROCKS
You obviously dont know how things work in Mexico. If they would have said Canada and not Mexico I would be inclined to not believe his story, however that isnt the case now is it!

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- Bearfoot
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:22pm
  You could not think of a unique name for yourself?
  You had to copy mine and add some numbers to it? Not very original of you.
  
  I do agree with your comment though.
  
  Report this comment
- Blacktooth
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:40pm
  Hey, don’t worry BF, we all know who the real Bearfoot is. You have been around here for years.
  Just view his ‘copycatingess’ as a compliment. Or maybe I should say ‘copybearingness’. :-)
  
  Are those real word? Oh well….
  
  Report this comment
- YellowFin
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:07pm
  Let me try this – copycattyness, and copybearyness. Fail.
  
  Blacktooth, there are no such words.
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:51pm
Send the marines in to get him out, and then say it’s Obama’s idea.

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- Psychosis
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:08pm
  great idea !!!!
  
  its not like they havent done it before …………… binladen
  
  Report this comment
- Zipit
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:38pm
  Why bother! I hear Hillary’s all over it!
  
  Report this comment
- rawmilker
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 12:17am
  Send in the Marines to clear that entire cesspool…& get the young man back.
  
  Report this comment
strawberry411a
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:48pm
What’s the matter Mr.attorney general, too white for you? Not a union member? He’s an American…you know that country you two hate so much!

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ChiefGeorge
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:47pm
The problem is really about the loss of White American influence and social power. Thats a truth and not a racist statement. Quick fix is to stay out of Mexico esp if your a WASP. I wish him the best of luck but taking a gun to Mexico and believing all was well to approach their customs and declare it was stupid and uninformed. I don’t care what some flunky says at the US customs side of the border….I would not trust them one minute.

A friend of ours was being driven around the border area near Canada and her driver took a wrong turn and was on a direct road to the Canadian border, once at the check point they indicated that they did not actually intend to enter Canada and simply needed to turn around and head back the way they came. Sure thing boss, go right forward turn around over there. But on the exit out of Canada they were stopped and detained for several hours, questioned relentlessly and threatened with illegally entering Canada. They we finally released.

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strawberry411a
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:44pm
Hey obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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neverending
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:38pm
Barry had no problem getting osama but they can’t get this former Marine!

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- CanadaRocks
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 8:52pm
  Well he is an american marine. Therefore he cannot be guilty. Because his family say they are trumped up charges, that makes it so? How many people go to jail say they are innocent? For a website full of conspiracy theorists and obama is a secret this and that, is it not possible he is actually guilty?
  
  Report this comment
- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:00pm
  Hey Canada: You have missed the point. But at least you spelled your words correctly eh? So willing to look the other way when it involves every other form of corruption, doubt or shenanigans..but God forbid the benefit of the doubt go to a US Marine in jail in…of all places ..MEXICO. Your hypocrisy is so typically…CANADIAN. On a personal note, I feel the same towards Canada these days as I do the liberal white male in this country: disgust for your spineless, confrontational manner (at ALL the wrong times) and your life sucking ways. Go ride a moose for the cause or something. Sorry. But you and your compatriots irritate me beyond words.
  
  Report this comment
- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:05pm
  The ISSUE Canada eh is Mexico’s obvious problem with corruption and it’s obviously illegitimate government. An American citizen in Mexican jail right now is obviously the perfect target for extortion and violence> Canadian citizens can go straight to hell.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:15pm
  CannuckRocks appears to be french cannuck in every sense.
  
  Report this comment
- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:16pm
  ..and please stay off the websiteCanada. We have enough problems with our own liberal parasites. Feel free to come on over though and use our medical care facilities…at least until Obama makes it exactly as useless as YOURS.
  
  Report this comment
- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 9:35pm
  …and Moosehead beer literally stinks.
  
  Report this comment
- ares338
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:17pm
  Hey CANADASUCKS…..go f%#? duck!
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:21pm
  CanadaRocks
  
  Mississauga is nice this time of year. why don;t you go there & hang out.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:45pm
  ares338
  
  Don’t tell him to do that. He ‘s a liberal. he just might do it & they’ll have to call of duck hunting season & there will be all these notices about how consuming ducks could be life threatening.
  
  Report this comment
- sailsalot
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 10:45pm
  Hey Canada. You are famous for toothless hockey players and maple syrup. You could not defend yourselves against a third world country.. Keep your ignorant attempts to communicate with the written word in your excrement hole country. Canada does not rock. It sucks. Go puck yourself.
  
  Report this comment
- bava
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 2:28am
  Canadarocks. See how tolerant these Blazeholes are if you even DARE to disagree with them. They’re good for a laugh though. It’s like watching apes flinging crap at the monkey house. Don’t forget to guy your gold and Liberty Locker. Glenn would want it that way.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:29am
  Bava
  Did you read your blather before you hit enter/reply? We look like section 8 housing peeps flinging libs? A liberty locker? That doesn’t smack with being conus; are you not here and pine for fellow libs?
  
  Report this comment

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