Cuba Politics News and Information
Cuba News and Information
By Anita Snow | The Associated Press
Cuba today turned over to U.S. authorities an American fugitive sought on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography.
Cuban authorities said they arrested Leonard B. Auerbach, a 61-year-old mortgage specialist from Orinda, California, on the island on May 7, acting on information from U.S. officials.
U.S. immigration officials in Miami and authorities at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment.
Cuban authorities say the investigation showed that Auerbach arrived on the island on April 8, and he was deported today. Such cooperation is unusual between the U.S. and Cuba, which have no extradition treaty.
Cuba said it decided to deport Auerbach to the U.S. because the crimes he is charged with “are of a grave character and strongly fought by our authorities.”
Auerbach is the fourth American fugitive Cuba has deported to the United States since President Raul Castro first took provisional power from his ailing brother Fidel in July 2006. Raul Castro permanently assumed the presidency in February.
The U.S. complains there are dozens more U.S. fugitives on the island that Cuba has not deported, including several former Black Panthers accusing of killings and other violent acts in the 1960s and 1970s.
Auerbach was named on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “most wanted” list for charges he had sex with a girl in Costa Rica, after he failed to appear for arraignment in U.S. federal court in Oakland, California, near his hometown.
The charges against Auerbach stemmed from a U.S. investigation that began almost two years ago.
Search warrants, including one executed at his Orinda residence, showed that Auerbach traveled to Costa Rica approximately 40 times between 2003 and 2007, according to an earlier statement from U.S. immigration authorities.
According to court documents filed in the case, during those searches, agents discovered computers and thumb drives containing images of Auerbach with a female minor.
Auerbach is charged with one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places and one count of possession of child pornography.
The sex tourism charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a US$250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possession of child pornography is 10 years in prison and a US$250,000 fine.
Maybe it’s time to deport Assata Shakur while they’re at it.
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Strange that I didn’t hear of the many congressmen who committed illict
sexual conduct with the page boys, receive the maximum penalty or fines
as mentioned above???????
Co-operation is a 2 way street. Perhaps, its time we shipped Posada Carrilles, and his band of murdering thugs to Cuba to stand trial for the murder of the Cubana passengers, the bombing of a Cuban Hotel which killed a number of European tourists, and other acts of terrorism. As Bush said, Any nation that harbors terrorists will be deemed a terrorist nation. And while we are about it, Orlando Bosch and Montaner should be on the same Boat to Cuba!
What’s good for the goose, is also good for the Gander!
remember what’s one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Bush and the US government are no different in not recognizing that a terrorist is a terrorist, period.
The message being sent by the Cuban government is that U.S. fugitives who are not “Political” refugees, prisoners, etc. will be sent back.
I doubt they will ever give up Assata, although I’ve heard she’s gone into hiding. Nice try though Publisher.
