Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

University professor, wife plead guilty in Cuban spying case
12-20-2006

MIAMI, USA (AFP): A Cuban-American professor pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to serve as a Cuban spy in the United States, and his wife pleaded guilty to abetting his activities, leading them to face up to five and three years in prison, respectively.

Carlos Alvarez, 61, and his wife, Elsa, 56, both of whom work at Florida International University, were arrested in January, accused of failing to register as agents of a foreign government -- the former since 1977 and the latter since 1982.

They were not charged with the far more serious crime of espionage, and authorities have said the two apparently did not have access to top-secret information or military intelligence and that there was no indication that they were paid by Cuba for their activities.

The charges carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but the couple reached a deal, pleading guilty to lesser charges.

The prosecution says Alvarez had informed Cuba's Directorate of Intelligence about groups that oppose Cuban leader Fidel Castro and had met abroad with members of the Cuban intelligence community. Prosecutors also say that Alvarez's wife knew of the encounters but did not say anything.

Carlos Alvarez is due to be sentenced at a February 2007 hearing.