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Senators Seek Help for Older Americans Tricked Into Smuggling Drugs Senators Seek Help for Older Americans Tricked Into Smuggling Drugs
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — A retired pastor from Maine imprisoned in Spain on drug-smuggling charges has caught the attention of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, whose members say he and other older Americans are being tricked by international drug gangs to carry contraband, then jailed abroad if caught. WASHINGTON — A retired pastor from Maine imprisoned in Spain on drug-smuggling charges has caught the attention of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, whose members say he and other older Americans are being tricked by international drug gangs to carry contraband, then jailed abroad if caught.
Nine senators, Republicans and Democrats, called on Monday for Secretary of State John Kerry or James Costos, the American ambassador to Spain, to raise the case of J. Bryon Martin, 77, directly with the Spanish government. Mr. Martin is serving six years in prison for smuggling drugs. Under Spanish law, individuals can be convicted without evidence of intent to violate the law. Nine senators, Republicans and Democrats, called on Monday for Secretary of State John Kerry or James Costos, the American ambassador to Spain, to raise the case of J. Byron Martin, 77, directly with the Spanish government. Mr. Martin is serving six years in prison for smuggling drugs. Under Spanish law, individuals can be convicted without evidence of intent to violate the law.
“We find it terribly unfair that an older American who by all indications is a victim and did not understand that he was being used to transport illegal drugs remains incarcerated abroad while the criminals who masterminded this scheme remain free,” the senators wrote in a letter released Monday.“We find it terribly unfair that an older American who by all indications is a victim and did not understand that he was being used to transport illegal drugs remains incarcerated abroad while the criminals who masterminded this scheme remain free,” the senators wrote in a letter released Monday.
The lawmakers added: “Because of his age and poor health, this may be a life sentence for Mr. Martin.” The lawmakers added, “Because of his age and poor health, this may be a life sentence for Mr. Martin.”
Mr. Martin is one of several American seniors serving time in foreign prisons after being accused or convicted of drug smuggling. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of the Homeland Security say they have discovered a vast international fraud by drug smugglers to deceive older Americans with promises of prizes or relationships, setting them up to unknowingly carry luggage filled with cocaine or other items through customs, hoping they will not arouse suspicion.Mr. Martin is one of several American seniors serving time in foreign prisons after being accused or convicted of drug smuggling. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of the Homeland Security say they have discovered a vast international fraud by drug smugglers to deceive older Americans with promises of prizes or relationships, setting them up to unknowingly carry luggage filled with cocaine or other items through customs, hoping they will not arouse suspicion.
The agency has set up a program called Operation Cocoon that tries to stop older Americans from becoming drug couriers by intercepting them before they leave the country. The agency said it has had some success, but at a hearing last month, its officials testified that at least 30 Americans, including many older Americans, are being held overseas after they were duped into being drug mules or couriers. The agency has set up a program, called Operation Cocoon, that tries to stop older Americans from becoming drug couriers by intercepting them before they leave the country. The agency said it has had some success, but at a hearing last month, its officials testified that at least 30 Americans, including many older Americans, are being held overseas after they were duped into being drug mules or couriers.
Most of them have no known ties to drug trafficking and have not committed other serious crimes.Most of them have no known ties to drug trafficking and have not committed other serious crimes.
In addition to Mr. Martin, the senators also called on the State Department to take similar steps on behalf of the other American citizens held by foreign governments. The letter also asked the administration to brief Congress on the status of the discussions with foreign governments about the legal status of the American citizens being held overseas as a result of the fraud. The senators also called on the State Department to take similar steps on behalf of the American citizens other than Mr. Martin being held by foreign governments. The letter also asked the administration to brief Congress on the status of the discussions with foreign governments about the legal status of the American citizens being held overseas as a result of the fraud.
Mr. Martin’s son, Andrew Martin, testified during last month’s hearing that his father was arrested in July after being caught at an airport in Madrid with nearly two kilograms of cocaine worth about $450,000.Mr. Martin’s son, Andrew Martin, testified during last month’s hearing that his father was arrested in July after being caught at an airport in Madrid with nearly two kilograms of cocaine worth about $450,000.
The elder Mr. Martin had met a person online he thought was a young woman named “Joy” and struck up a relationship that lasted for five years, his son said. The elder Mr. Martin had met, online, a person he thought was a young woman named Joy and struck up a relationship that lasted for five years, his son said.
She claimed to be from a wealthy North African family and said she needed Mr. Martin’s help obtaining real estate documents for property her family owned in Peru. The woman asked him to go to South America to get the documents and then bring them to her in London.She claimed to be from a wealthy North African family and said she needed Mr. Martin’s help obtaining real estate documents for property her family owned in Peru. The woman asked him to go to South America to get the documents and then bring them to her in London.
While in Peru, Mr. Martin was given two sealed packages and a plane ticket to London with a layover in Madrid. He was arrested after security personnel at the airport in Spain noticed the packages and opened them. Mr. Martin was arrested.While in Peru, Mr. Martin was given two sealed packages and a plane ticket to London with a layover in Madrid. He was arrested after security personnel at the airport in Spain noticed the packages and opened them. Mr. Martin was arrested.
“Before this conviction, my dad had never been charged with even a misdemeanor,” Andrew Martin said.“Before this conviction, my dad had never been charged with even a misdemeanor,” Andrew Martin said.