( CNN ) -- A former U.S. Marine who languished for more than four months in a Mexican prison on a questionable gun charge was on his way to spending Christmas with his family Friday after U.S. politicians intervened for his release . Jon Hammar , 27 , was released from a facility in the border town of Matamoros , just across from Brownsville , Texas , said U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen , R-Florida . `` These past few months have been an absolute nightmare for Jon and his family , and I am so relieved that this whole ordeal will soon be over , '' the congresswoman said in a statement . She represents the family 's South Florida district . U.S. consular officials met Hammar at the prison and escorted him to the border , where he was reunited with members of his family , U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said . It was August when Hammar , who served in Iraq and Afghanistan , crossed the border on his way to Costa Rica . He was going to go surfing with a fellow veteran and stopped in Matamoros to get gas , his family said . Along with his surfboards , Hammar took an antique shotgun handed down from his great-grandfather . His parents said that Hammar intended to hunt with it , and that U.S. Customs and Border Protection told him he could bring the gun into Mexico if it was registered and a fee was paid . But after he drove his Winnebago to the Mexican side , authorities arrested him , saying the weapon did not comply with their gun laws . Olivia Hammar said her son was charged with possession of a weapon restricted for military use . A branch of the Mexican military said the gun is not on its `` forbidden list , '' she said , but her son remained incarcerated . A few nights after Hammar 's arrest , his parents received the first of several threatening calls from behind bars , they said . `` He said : ' I have your son , ' `` Olivia Hammar recalled , tearing up . `` I am going to f -- - him up . I already have . '' Then she heard her son 's voice . `` He said : 'Mom , you 've got to do what they say ; they 're really serious . ' `` The voice at the other end of the line asked for $ 1,800 . For the first few months , Hammar 's family kept his plight out of the public eye , fearing media attention would cause him harm in prison . They finally came forward in hopes of getting Mexican authorities to act . U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson , D-Florida , stepped in on Hammar 's behalf , speaking to Mexico 's ambassador to the United States . They managed to get him out of the general prison population so he would be away from dangerous inmates . Hammar was moved to what Nelson said was like an administrative location . But because of the low security at the new facility , which Olivia Hammar described as a storage shed , officials periodically chained Hammar to his bed . The Hammars recently turned to Ros-Lehtinen , who heads the House Committee on Foreign Affairs . She called the situation `` outrageous '' and took up the matter with the State Department , the U.S. ambassador to Mexico and the Mexican ambassador . `` I am overcome with joy knowing that Jon will be spending Christmas with his parents , family and friends , '' she said Friday night . A defense lawyer said it was determined Hammar had no intent to commit a crime , Nelson said Friday . `` No American should be in a Mexican jail for five months without being able to have his case in front of a judge , '' Nelson said in a statement . `` We 're grateful ; this is a good Christmas present . '' The family said they will spend the holiday `` bathed in gratitude '' to all those who worked to free their son and gave them support while he was behind bars . They said they would give no interviews until after the holidays . `` The only expression that captures how we feel today is that 'our cup runneth over , ' '' the family said . CNN 's Ben Brumfield , Melissa Gray , and Foreign Affairs Reporter Elise Labott contributed to this report .
NEW : This means the product will ship as received by the manufacturer, sealed, with all advertised components, and with the manufacturer warranty. Jon Hammar , 27 , was jailed in Mexico in August on a questionable gun charge . His family says he was sometimes chained to a bed in a low-security site . The former Marine , who served in Iraq and Afghanistan , was headed to Costa Rica .