Senator Nelson helps free former Marine jailed in Mexico

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Senator Bill Nelson's office says a former Marine jailed in Mexico will be freed today.

Jan Hammar, 27, has been held on a gun charge in a prison in Matamoros for the last five months.

Last August, Hammar was driving with a friend to Costa Rica to go surfing as therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

He was carrying his father's shotgun when authorities stopped him at the border and arrested him.

Hammar's mother told Nelson of the pending release.  An aide to a legal representative of the Mexican Attorney General's Office also informed Nelson of Hammar's pending release.

"No American should be in a Mexican jail for five months without being able to have his case in front of a judge," said Sen. Nelson.  "We're grateful: this is a good Christmas present."

Hammar is from Miami.