In the News

Zach Wilson is the Keithville native who went on a mission trip in March to Guatemala, but was detained at the airport for having hunting ammunition in his bag.  He spent three months in Guatemalan prison and now waits on house arrest for trial that won't start until February. His wife Lisa and Congressman Mike Johnson are working to bring him home.

"It still could be potentially fatal," said Lisa Wilson, Zach's wife.

Lisa desperately wants him home so he can get proper medical care for his severe ulcerative colitis which puts him in a lot pain. She found out this week he will have to stay in Guatemala even longer. He saw a judge on Wednesday who ruled his trial will be pushed back until February.

"I bawled like a baby. It's six more months he's away from us, six more months he has an ailment that's failing him," Lisa said.

Zach was helping a local community while on a mission trip in Guatemala when he was arrested while leaving the airport for having hunting bullets in his travel bag. His family said he mistakenly brought the bullets with him and accidentally flew out of Houston beforehand with the bullets in his bag.

He was put in a Guatemalan prison where he suffered from medical complications. When he was released months later, he had lost 40 pounds and had stage two dehydration. He was placed on house arrest at a missionary's home where his family said he's still weak from the recovery. 

Congressman Mike Johnson said he's been involved with diplomatic efforts since the spring trying get him back to the United States.

"We wanted to be very respectful of the process and diplomatic channels. They've respected the law and the nation of Guatemala. But we've also had a high degree of trust that they would do the right thing and that he would be treated fairly and get the appropriate due process. Right now we are having some serious doubts about that," said Rep. Mike Johnson, (R) La Fourth Congressional District.

Johnson's drafting a letter to the Guatemalan president and working with the state department and fellow elected officials. He's spoken with Senator Bill Cassidy and said all the local delegates want to see him brought home.  

"Clearly he had no ill intent. No criminal intent so the charges they levied on him originally have already been acknowledged even in the court that was an inappropriate set of charges. What we're asking and what we're expecting from the government that there is a recognition of the humanitarian needs that are an issue here and his very unique medical condition as something that should be taken into account," Rep. Johnson said.

Zach's family has made trips to see him and this week his two boys got to visit with him for the first time in five months. 

"It was good. They all had a great time," Lisa said.

Johnson said he's sent requests for Zach's trial to start earlier or for him to be allowed back home while he waits.

"We need the rights of U.S. citizens respected here and whatever it takes we're willing to do," Rep. Johnson said.

"This can happen to anyone. It's not just us. It's happen before to missionaries visiting Guatemala and will probably happen again. I just want to thank everyone for reaching out to us and trying to help us," Lisa said.

You can help get involved and donate to Zach's family who faces financial hardship while he's away. You donate to theirGoFundMe Account and visit their Facebook Page to help bring Zach home.