Cuba Spies/Miami
October 9, 1998
Byline=Michael Bowman
Dateline=Miami
Source: Voice of America
INTRO:
THREE MORE SUSPECTED CUBAN SPIES, ARRESTED LAST MONTH IN SOUTH FLORIDA, HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO SERVING THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AS UNREGISTERED AGENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS FROM MIAMI, A TOTAL OF FIVE SUSPECTS HAVE NOW ENTERED INTO PLEA BARGAINING ARRANGEMENTS WITH U-S PROSECUTORS THAT, UNDER FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINES, WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN TWO TO THREE YEARS OF JAIL TIME.
TEXT:
THIRTY-NINE YEAR OLD ALEJANDRO ALONSO, JOSEPH SANTOS AND HIS WIFE, AMARYLIS, ARE THE LATEST TO PLEAD GUILTY TO ESPIONAGE- RELATED CHARGES IN U-S DISTRICT COURT.PROSECUTORS ARE DECLINING TO COMMENT ON THE MATTER. BUT ATTORNEY PAUL MCKENNA, WHO REPRESENTS ONE OF THE SUSPECTS YET TO ENTER A PLEA, SAYS THERE IS REASON TO DOUBT THE STRENGTH OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CASE AGAINST THE 10 DEFENDANTS.
// MCKENNA ACT //
NORMALLY, IF THEY (PROSECUTORS) HAVE AN IRON-CLAD (STRONG) CASE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SEEK OUT COOPERATING WITNESSES. PERHAPS THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT THEIR CASE IS NOT AS IRON-CLAD AS THEY HAD REPRESENTED.
// END ACT //
FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY THE ALLEGED SPY RING SOUGHT TO INFILTRATE CUBAN EXILE GROUPS AND MONITOR SOUTH FLORIDA FACILITIES, INCLUDING U-S MILITARY BASES.
// REST OPT FOR LONG //
ATTORNEY PAUL MCKENNA SAYS PROSECUTORS HAVE YET TO UNVEIL ANY EVIDENCE THEY MAY POSSESS AGAINST THE ALLEGED CUBAN AGENTS.
// MCKENNA ACT //
WE HAVE NOT SEEN SO MUCH AS ONE PIECE OF PAPER ON THEIR CASE. THEY ARE DELAYING ALL THE DISCOVERY, ALL THE EVIDENCE, FOR OUR REVIEW UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A JUDGE LIFTS A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
// END ACT //
WEDNESDAY, NILO HERNANDEZ AND HIS WIFE, LINDA, BECAME THE FIRST DEFENDANTS TO ENTER INTO A PLEA BARGAINING ARRANGEMENT WITH PROSECUTORS. WHEN THE CASE GOES TO TRIAL, THOSE WHO PLEAD GUILTY IN RETURN FOR A MORE-LENIENT SENTENCE WILL LIKELY BE CALLED ON TO TESTIFY AGAINST ANY REMAINING DEFENDANTS WHO MAINTAIN THEIR INNOCENCE.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE ROUND-UP OF THE ALLEGED TEN-MEMBER SPY RING REPRESENTED THE LARGEST CRACKDOWN ON CUBAN ESPIONAGE IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE CUBA'S 1959 REVOLUTION. (SIGNED)