CD Philosophy

[Lou32]

Dave got five years in prison this week.

It will be a while before he gets back to the USA.

[Member #4398]

The Cubadave thread has been pretty dead quiet. Well, I am posting here some updates for those still interested in this saga.

Here is the latest posted on his website: http://www.cubadave.com/.

He was moved from the San Sebastian sex offender facility to another facility for elderly people. It has been more than 8 months already and the Saga continues.

Here is the excerpt of an article from the ticotimes on March 22,2016 http://www.ticotimes.net/2016/03/22/...tical-prisoner.

Crime.

Jailed Costa Rica sex tourist Cuba Dave: 'I'm a political prisoner'.

Michael Krumholtz.

March 22.

Costa Rica sex tourist Cuba Dave in La Reforma prison.

David Strecker, aka "Cuba Dave," speaks to The Tico Times from La Reforma prison in Alajuela, Costa Rica, on March 18,2016.

Lindsay Fendt / The Tico Times.

Update: Tuesday, 12:35 pm In a right of reply to this story, Daniel Woodall Zimmer said he has never been associated with David Strecker. See the entire right of reply below.

Original story:

Florida native David Strecker, who goes by the moniker "Cuba Dave," has a story from when he was in the sex offender's block at San Sebastiáand prison in Costa Rica's capital, San José. One of the inmates went around asking the other prisoners why they were behind bars.

"They said I raped a minor," one inmate said.

"I killed my two children because they wouldn't stop crying," another confessed.

"I had a website," Strecker said.

Wearing a white Imperial beer tank top that reveals a New York Yankees logo tattooed on his upper right shoulder, and a matching Yankees cap that hides his whitening hair, Strecker told the story from the courtyard of the senior wing of La Reforma Correctional Center, a prison north of the capital where he was transferred on Feb. 10.

Beginning in 2005, "Cuba Dave" gained notoriety in San José's sex tourism scene after websites and social media accounts donning his brand offered advice on the area's bars and hotels that cater to prostitution, which is legal in Costa Rica. Through a book and blogs on other Latin American and Caribbean sex tourism destinations like the Dominican Republic and Cuba, Strecker's erotic adventures earned him Internet fame and a steady following of curious, and envious, male admirers.

He was arrested by Costa Rican authorities on Sept. 4, 2015 at Juan Santamaría International Airport under suspicion of violating a law that prohibits promoting the country as a destination for sex tourism.

Strecker still awaits a possible trial that could land him in prison for up to eight years if he is found guilty.

From sex tourist to sleeping by a urinal.

In a recent interview with The Tico Times from La Reforma, Strecker called himself a "political prisoner" and claimed he's being discriminated against because he's from the United States.

"This is a country where if you happen to say the wrong thing, you're going to end up paying for it," Strecker said. "Truthfully, I really believe I'm just being made an example of. ".

Like most other prisoners, the 65-year-old Strecker says he doesn't belong in jail. He recalled the dismal conditions at the overcrowded San Sebastian prison, where during his five months of preventive prison he said he slept on cold concrete with his head next to a urinal.

After continued protest from the defense team, judges agreed to transfer Strecker to La Reforma's senior wing, Strecker's attorney Alfredo Andúñez said. Under the Costa Rican penal code, prisoners aged 65 or older are supposed to spend their time behind bars at La Reforma's special area for seniors.

Andúñez told The Tico Times last month that Costa Rica has a problematic trend in its preventive prison system, which is applied to persons under investigation and foreigners like Cuba Dave who are thought to be flight risks.

"The illegality to me of preventive prison is when the judges choose to put a person in preventive prison and fail to take into account that person's rights," andúñez said.

Strecker said the decent conditions at La Reforma's Senior Correctional Center compared to dismal San Sebastian are night and day.

Lindsay Fendt / The Tico Times.

No trial date has been set for Strecker's case. A spokeswoman from the Prosecutor's Office said the government is still readying evidence and focusing on a hard drive confiscated from Strecker the day he was arrested.

The Prosecutor's Office has declined to comment on the actual investigation or a potential trial, and would not say who filed the criminal complaint against Strecker.

Thousands of photos.

Strecker said he carved out his niche in the legal sex scene in Costa Rica as a photographer, amassing thousands of photos he took of prostitutes with their consent.

"I didn't make prostitution legal," he said. "It's here. These people created this."

In preliminary hearings, prosecutors have focused on a pair of blog posts taken from the domain www.cubadave.com that they believe illegally advertised San José as a pay-for-sex destination, according to Strecker.

Strecker said he never posted anything to the cubadave.com website, and that he didn't even know it existed until a prison guard in San Sebastian showed him the page. The content of cubadave.com was deleted shortly after Strecker's arrest, and the page is now dedicated to giving updates about his case and soliciting donations for his legal defense.

Besides saying that Strecker wasn't involved with the website, his defense team also claims to have evidence that Strecker never posted anything to the Cuba Dave Facebook page, from which prosecutors are also gathering evidence in the case, Andúñez said.

Former partners Daniel Woodhall and Henry Allen were in charge of the Cuba Dave Facebook page and website, Strecker said, adding that he was a face for the recognizable brand that updated followers on Strecker's apparent conquests in Costa Rica and other Latin American countries.

In a right of reply sent to The Tico Times on Tuesday, following the publication of this story, Woodhall said, "I have never been associated with Mr. Strecker or the activities of Mr. Strecker in publications on social media or websites."

Strecker said YouTube videos in which he was seen discussing the state of affairs in the prostitution-friendly bars and hotels in San José's downtown area known as "Gringo Gulch" were purposefully vague and never mentioned specific women. The videos were meant to advise men against going to places in unsafe neighborhoods and warn of common pitfalls, Strecker said.

"Every single thing I'm being charged with is legal," he said. "They should actually be patting me on the back for warning some of the guys about this stuff."

Lawmakers who helped sponsor the [CodeWord908] Law, which includes the prohibition against promoting sex tourism, have said that the law is designed to not only protect the country's image, but also to deter any trafficking organizations that are linked to prostitution. Specifically, the law prohibits promoting Costa Rica "as an accessible tourist destination for the exploitation of sexual commerce or for the prostitution of persons of any sex or age."

It is unclear whether or not prosecutors intend to accuse Strecker of being linked to [CodeWord908].

Strecker is quick to point out that he didn't profit from the Cuba Dave media franchise and that hotel owners sponsored their businesses for free on his sites.

As one of the most recognizable figures in the sex tourism world, Strecker's extended stay in preventive prison and possible conviction could deter his former readers and other sex tourists from entering Costa Rica, he said.

"This is going to be a landmark case and I think it's the worst thing that could happen to the tourist industry," Strecker said. "Gringos might be scared to come here."

Strecker was called to an appellate hearing last Thursday where he declined to appeal his preventive prison sentence. He said that when he entered the hearing he was optimistic a plea bargain would be reached and that he denied the appeal because of monetary concerns.

He has used thousands of dollars donated through his website to cover his lawyer bills, as well as financial help from friends and owners of gentlemen's hotels, he said.

Strecker said he plans to write a book about his experiences in prison and produce a video to explain to followers what has happened since his arrest. He said if he is freed, he'll go directly to the airport.

Cuba Dave also said not only was there no indication from authorities that he was entering a gray area of the law, but that he had been encouraged by locals to promote sex tourism.

"Ticos that knew me and that lived here looked at me as a guy who was going to help them out," he said.

[Member #4398]

Here is another Cuba Dave update from Tico Times News. I hope the guy gets release soon. The article from Tico Times is bellow and the link is at http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/11/25/...ins-in-prison:.

"David Strecker, aka "Cuba Dave," had a private hearing on Monday in this San José courtroom, where judges decided to extend his preventive detention sentence until Jan. 2, 2016. Lindsay Fendt / The Tico Times.

David Strecker, the 65-year-old USA Man arrested in September under Costa Rica's little-known "Sex Tourism Law," will remain in preventive detention in a San José prison until at least Jan. 2, 2016, according to a court ruling handed down Monday in an appellate hearing.

Strecker, known widely by his nickname "Cuba Dave," is the first person in the country's history to be arrested under the 2013 law that calls for punishment of anyone who promotes or carries out programs that prop up Costa Rica as a destination for sexual tourism.

Tatiana Vargas, a spokeswoman for the Prosecutor's Office, told The Tico Times that Strecker's extended detention is a "preventive measure" to make sure he does not flee the country while the criminal investigation against him continues.

"The criminal case began after it was found that the suspect had made various Internet publications in which he apparently invited other North Americans to visit Costa Rica, indicating that the prostitution services are easy to acquire here," Vargas said via email on Wednesday.

Under the moniker "Cuba Dave," Strecker created a website that recounted his stories from his sex-fueled excursions in Costa Rica and other Latin American destinations, as well as pictures of women dressed in nothing more than bikinis who were apparently prostitutes, and videos in which Strecker would give advice to his followers on the best places to stay in San José.

A screenshot from an archived home page of www.cubadave.com. The domain now serves as a fundraiser for Strecker's legal defense funds.

In a 2012 article archived on the website, Strecker tells the story of how a Colombian girl named "Judy" persuaded him into going to Campo Alegre Resort in Curacao, a Caribbean island north of Venezuela. Strecker details in the blog entry, titled "Campo Alegre an adventure to forget about," that his experience on the island was tainted by high hotel prices and women that didn't meet his physical standards.

"When Judy was working I would walk the grounds and chat with the available girls and found that they were willing to perform for much less than the standard price but of the 120 advertised girls I probably seen a total of 40 girls and very few that were even a 5 or 6," Strecker wrote.

On the first comment under the story, a commenter named Mavrick says, "Thanks for the heads up ill stay away from that one. I took your advice on CR and it was right so now I'm taking your advice on sosua. Ill be down there the last week of this month. Hope to see you down there!

Strecker is currently being held in San Sebastian prison, one of the country's most overcrowded detention centers located just south of San José. At the hearing on Monday, Strecker's attorney, Alfredo Núñez, told The Tico Times that he would not comment on the case.

In a possible criminal trial, Strecker could face four to eight years in jail, according to the previously untested law, which is filed under Article 162 bis of Costa Rica's [CodeWord908] Law."

[MS Clive]

I had donated to Cubadave's defense fund. So his lawyer sent me an update which I am sharing with you:

Good Evening.

I would like to take an opportunity to thank you for your contribution to Dave's legal defense. A recent donation of $500 was especially appreciated as it filled in the last funds that we needed to pay his current legal bill of $1,625.

Dave sends his most sincere thanks to every one of the 78 individuals who have made a donation so far. Every amount, even small donations have made it possible for Dave to mount a real legal defense. Indeed, the scope of the legal arguments presented in court have come as a surprise to prosecutors, who thought that had as an easy target a man of very limited financial resources.

Some many question the price of the legal defense. However, all those involved think Dave is getting a good deal from the law firm of NCC Abogados. He is represented by both a criminal defense attorney and an attorney practicing constitutional law. He also has bilingual and accurate courtroom interpretation, which is difficult to receive in Costa Rica.

Right now the criminal defense is the priority to keep the pressure on the government to either go to trial or do the right thing, and release Dave from prison while his case is pending. However, in recent days it has become clear that a constitutional defense is indeed very likely, as both the female judge and female prosecutor in his case are acting without regard to Dave's human rights.

It is unfortunate that Dave will have to spend the holidays in prison. We will keep you updated to his progress and appreciate your continued support.

On Behalf of Dave [Name deleted by Admin].

[Member #4398]

http://www.cubadave.com/cubadave-update-november-court/ this thread has been very quiet. The cubadave website has a recent update. According to the site, he continues to be in jail, his mother passed away and he won't be able to attend the funeral, he has and upcoming hearing in November, and the site is trying to get donation for his legal troubles. Hope the best for the guy and that his troubles get resolved soon.

Cerebro

[Doker44]

If Dave's servers were being hosted in the States and if he wrote his posts and articles from the States CR essentially arrested an American citizen for violating THEIR law while on American soil. Maybe he was stirring up business while there but with all the other hotels etc, this is a pure set up that happens in all these 3rd world shit holes

Sure no country wants to be known for sex tourism but that is their problem not ours and they could do a lot more about it if they desired. Dave was a douchbag that was warned several times but he is still a god damn American!

[Qualude]

QCOSTARICA The American arrested for promoting sex tourism in Costa Rica is reaching out to his followers from prison, the San Sebastian detention centre (jail) in San Jose.

On the website, Cubadave.com, a post on behalf of David Strecker explains that the alleged sex promoter is being held "indefinitely and without trial" and despite Dave's advanced age (65 years old), has been confined to an overcrowed prison cell and forced to sleep on a concrete floor.

"Prosecutors have yet to bring formal charges," says the website, explaining that prosecutors may do so in two months, when he is scheduled to appear again before a judge.

"Given the outcome of his last hearing, it's clear that the legal battle will be a lengthy and costly one. A new attorney is trying to have Dave released pending trial," is the plea for financial support.

The website says that the money raised so far doesn't even cover his initial expenses, saying 100 percent of the money collected will go to his defense and hopefully his release.

Was David Strecker aka Cuba Dave promoting sex tourism in Costa Rica? One "mongers forum" says, "Maybe. He's mostly promoting himself and his travels. But much of what is being focused on here leads to confusion because the activity he's accused of promoting is perfectly legal to engage in within Costa Rica, says Jonesie at the Monger Network.

[John Gault]

I think everyone is missing the most important statement in this article. Cuba Dave was arrested for the law that states that it is illegal for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. It has nothing to do with free speech or any violation of basic rights. This law specifically was to make pimping illegal but there are other ways for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. There is going to be some kind of trial but I can see how this law can be interpreted to imply that Cuba Dave violated it.


But in the meantime this in no way effects the rest of us who do nothing to make any profit. I do not know what the situation with boards like this might be, but people who just post here or people who just travel to enjoy CR do not appear to be of any interest to CR authorities because of this arrest. Thus the arrest is specific to Cuba Dave not the scene itself.

My post was really about this board.

Travel Announcements (No questions or comments please).

Of course it is a longshot that they will bother a regular Monger, but my point is why put a target on yourself by giving them your travel plans. It really does not matter if your handle does not give your real first name. For example in say a flight to MGA which has few Gringos on it. They could look very cloesly at non Nico's on that flight. If they look at the boards, and see a poster giving all kinds of info then see he is coming to town then you are gift wrapping yourself.

I play percentages, and even if it is a 1,000 to one of getting stopped by these Clowns I opt to not give them any edge on me.

If you want people to know you are in Country then do a trip report, and ask if anyone wants to meet for a drink. At least they can't locate you that way.

[Yanqui69]

I think everyone is missing the most important statement in this article. Cuba Dave was arrested for the law that states that it is illegal for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. It has nothing to do with free speech or any violation of basic rights. This law specifically was to make pimping illegal but there are other ways for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. There is going to be some kind of trial but I can see how this law can be interpreted to imply that Cuba Dave violated it.

But in the meantime this in no way effects the rest of us who do nothing to make any profit. I do not know what the situation with boards like this might be, but people who just post here or people who just travel to enjoy CR do not appear to be of any interest to CR authorities because of this arrest. Thus the arrest is specific to Cuba Dave not the scene itself.

Not sure precisely how CD came to the attention of the CR authorities, but it would be good to know.

Sparked by this incident, I did just a quick, superficial search, and discovered there are multiple sites that could be interpreted as "profiting" from sex tourism in that country. IFTC and CR Ticas, just to start. And on the latter site, there are advertisements for hotels, tours, even a dentist. Could an aggressive prosecutor claim such ads and businesses profit?

The hotels sure as hell do, but there seems to be no legal pressure there. (CR-savvy mongers might correct me on that, I dunno).

How does one prosecute a blogger for writing about the sex trade there, and permit hotels / bars and and a variety of parlors to base their business on the trade?

Regardless of how local legal authorities use their discretion on who to target, it is just good sense to keep a low profile, remain anonymous with the use of nicknames versus real names, etc.

If an entity like the FBI want to nail you (as they do, rightly, for those exploiting minors) by using your online activity, they will. But countries like CR are unlikely to be able to detain or prosecute anyone purely on the basis of posted travel plans or postings using a nickname on a forum like this. The day they start busting the mongers in the local hotels and bars is the day to fear, but I suspect too much revenue would be lost.

Discretion is always a good idea. Staying under / off the radar is the safest plan.

If CD had used only a nickname, posting about his travels without parading his real name / face all over the net, he'd be okay.

I suspect he was just "low hanging fruit" for an ambitious prosecutor wanting to earn points.

Carrying a computer with incriminating material is not a good idea; as easy as opening a briefcase to view the contents.

We don't need to get paranoid, but I offer the following tip. Using the Google Chrome browser, under Options, one can select the 'Incognito' window. When closing out, it drops the browsing history, cookies, etc.

[Frannie]

I think everyone is missing the most important statement in this article. Cuba Dave was arrested for the law that states that it is illegal for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. It has nothing to do with free speech or any violation of basic rights. This law specifically was to make pimping illegal but there are other ways for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. There is going to be some kind of trial but I can see how this law can be interpreted to imply that Cuba Dave violated it.

But in the meantime this in no way effects the rest of us who do nothing to make any profit. I do not know what the situation with boards like this might be, but people who just post here or people who just travel to enjoy CR do not appear to be of any interest to CR authorities because of this arrest. Thus the arrest is specific to Cuba Dave not the scene itself.

Of course this is right. There is a difference between discreetly contributing free copy in the form of opinions and using your opinions to attempt to persuade people to patronize prostitution-related businesses, some of which may pay to advertise on your blog or Facebook page, and promoting yourself as a kind of role model. That is the issue, although some people do not see it that way.

[Bimmy6]

I think everyone is missing the most important statement in this article. Cuba Dave was arrested for the law that states that it is illegal for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. It has nothing to do with free speech or any violation of basic rights. This law specifically was to make pimping illegal but there are other ways for a 3rd party to profit off prostitution. There is going to be some kind of trial but I can see how this law can be interpreted to imply that Cuba Dave violated it.

But in the meantime this in no way effects the rest of us who do nothing to make any profit. I do not know what the situation with boards like this might be, but people who just post here or people who just travel to enjoy CR do not appear to be of any interest to CR authorities because of this arrest. Thus the arrest is specific to Cuba Dave not the scene itself.

[MS Clive]

The right way is to post his lawyer's contact information.

Finally the payment got cleared without event from Paypal. And the FBI has not arrested me yet.

[Dickhead]

Or figure out which guys collect stamps (Gault) or read Ayn Rand (Galt). And let's not forget to erase our browsing histories before we travel! Of course, my handle is pretty anonymous since you pretty much run across a bunch of dickheads anywhere you go, but they could sure correlate my posts, and where they were from, with some data base or another. A lot of us, including me, probably need to be more careful.

[John Gault]

I have seen most Cuba Daves videos, and I must say they were very entertaining, and also had good intel. I have never even once found fault with any of the advice he gave. Now if a newbe did watch one of his presentations than he would have a good leg up on how to operate in the subject matter Dave provided.

I think a lesson can be learned from this incident. Lets look at the thread that announces when we are visiting a monger location. You are giving the date, and location of your travel plans. Lets say you use a handle like mine, John Gault. How hard would it be for these creeps who work for these governments to see how many men with the first name of John from say the USA are on the plane for the location you have given them. If you are a poster like myself who has done many detailed trip reports then how far are my comments are from what got CD put in a horrible prison? Just food for thought gentlemen, but in the unlikely event that you find yourself in a Latin American hell hole of a prison then you would be one very sick pup.

As far as Dave I wish him all the best, and hope he somehow gets himself out of this mess.

[Frannie]

CD goes in front of judge again Nov 11th. Also http://keysnews.com/node/69647

Interesting little article, and quite well written. Apparently Cuba Dave is saying that he is more into the general business of promoting foreign travel for single men rather than promoting prostitution, which he sees as a necessary evil, but not one that he personally particularly endorses--perish the thought. I knew there was good in him, if only one looked for it. However I wonder why his Web sites and book sales have been taken down, as they could be useful evidence for his defense.