thriller. undercover agent the intervention of a u.s. senator, and covert flights from the u.s. to cuba. hernandez was the ring leader of the cuban five. a group of cuban undercover agents convicted in 2001 of running a spy ring in south florida. the charges included helping shoot down two cessna airplanes that killed four cuban-americans working against the castro regime. in 2012 he spoke to nbc news in an exclusive jailhouse interview. his wife defended him to nbc as well. >> translator: he is an extremely noble person. he's sincere. he's honest. >> last year when senator patrick leahy visited cuba to check on alan gross. he tracked the senator down with an urgent and unusual plea. >> she didn't know if she would see her husband out of prison. she loved him very much. she wanted his child.