Source: Guilty Pleas in Cuban Agent Case

MIAMI -- A psychology professor and his wife accused of being illegal Cuban agents will plead guilty to lesser charges next week, a source familiar with the case said Friday.

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore set a change-of-plea hearing Tuesday for Carlos and Elsa Alvarez, both of whom had previously pleaded not guilty.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plea agreements are not yet public, said Carlos Alvarez would plead guilty to a reduced charge of conspiracy to become an unregistered foreign agent, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

He was originally charged with failing to register with U.S. authorities as agents of the Cuban government, a count that carries a possible sentence of 10 years.

Elsa Alvarez will plead guilty to knowing about her husband's crimes and failing to report them to authorities, an offense known by the archaic term "misprision of a felony," the person said. She could end up serving no additional prison time under the new charge.

Prosecutors say the Alvarezes reported for decades on activities of Cuban-American exile groups in Miami and on U.S. political affairs. According to the FBI, which had the couple under surveillance for years, Alvarez used sophisticated encryption techniques, a short-wave radio and the code name "David" in his communications with Cuban handlers.

They were not charged with the more serious offense of espionage, in part because there is no evidence that either passed on any U.S. government secrets or military information.

The U.S. attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment Friday. The couple's defense attorneys said they did not wish to comment.

Last month, another federal judge ruled to allow as evidence long statements given by Carlos Alvarez to the FBI in which he acknowledged decades of involvement with Cuba and its intelligence apparatus.

The couple were arrested in January. Carlos Alvarez has been held in jail since then, while his wife has been released.

Carlos Alvarez, 61, is a psychology professor at Florida International University, and Elsa Alvarez, 56, works as a coordinator of a social work program at the Miami-area school.

Moore has to approve the guilty pleas and has final say over any prison sentence. The trial had been scheduled for Jan. 22.