ORLANDO, Fla. — Stephanie Cristella, who lives in Florida’s Orlando area, said she is hoping her cousin will make it to his mother’s house in Boise, Idaho — in time for Christmas.
Her cousin Joseph “Joey” Cristella was among the men who Venezuelan authorities released as part of a prisoner swap with the United States.
The swap on Wednesday was in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The group freed arrived on Wednesday at the Kelly Airfield Annex in San Antonio, Texas.
“We are going to see what we can do about getting her to have a Christmas wish so that she doesn’t have to spend this Christmas without him like she did the last,” she said.
Stephanie Cristella said he had been in the custody of Venezuelan authorities since September 2022. She said he left the country to work in the Dominican Republic, got engaged to a Venezuelan woman, and traveled to Colombia.
The others released were Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Savoi Wright, Jason Saad, Edgar Jose Marval Moreno, and Leonard Glenn Francis, a fugitive known as “Fat Leonard.”Forbes reported Luke Denman and Airan Berry, two Green Berets were also released.
“I didn’t know if I would ever make it out,” Wright, who was arrested on Oct. 24, told reporters in Texas.
Local10.com partner ClickOrlando.com contributed to this report.
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