A Florida International University professor and his wife pleaded guilty in federal court in Miami on Monday to charges stemming from accusations that they had been spies for Cuba since 1977 and 1982, respectively.

Carlos Alvarez, an associate professor in the university’s College of Education, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to become an unregistered foreign agent. Elsa Alvarez, a counselor in the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center, pleaded guilty to failing to report her husband’s activities to authorities. Both originally faced more serious charges, according to the Associated Press.

Sentencing is set for February 27. Mr. Alvarez could receive a sentence of up to five years in prison, while his wife could be jailed for up to three years. They could have faced much more serious charges based on a wide-ranging statement that Mr. Alvarez made to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He tried, without success, to persuade a judge to declare the statement inadmissible as evidence.