Professor in Cuba spying case gets 5 in prison

Professor in Cuba spying case gets 5 in prison
By ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press
Posted February 27 2007, 4:28 PM EST

MIAMI -- A college professor who pleaded guilty in a federal case involving allegations that he and his wife spied for Cuba was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison.

Carlos Alvarez, 61, and his 56-year-old wife Elsa were sentenced on reduced charges they received in a federal plea deal. Carlos Alvarez also received three years probation.

Elsa Alvarez was sentenced to three years in prison and one year of probation. That was the maximum sentence both could get.

``We are extremely upset,'' said the couple's son, also named Carlos Alvarez, 40.

The case involved accusations of exchanging coded messages with Cuban intelligence services about Cuban-American exile groups and prominent figures in Miami. Prosecutors said Carlos Alvarez should receive the maximum five years in prison because he did ``classic intelligence work'' for Fidel Castro's communist government.

The former Florida International University professor's attorneys argue he was never a Cuban intelligence agent or a supporter of Castro, and that he was trying to open avenues of communication between the two countries.

In December, Carlos Alvarez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to become an unregistered foreign agent, while his wife admitted knowing about her husband's illegal activities but failing to report them to authorities.

Both were charged previously with the more serious charge of acting as illegal Cuban agents.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-227cubaspy,0,120874.story?coll=sfla-news-cuba
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