Associated Press Writer
November 20, 2009 17:16 EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A retired State Department worker and his wife accused of a three-decade-long plot to spy for Cuba have pleaded guilty in federal court.

Walter Kendall Myers and wife, Gwendolyn -- both in their 70s -- were caught in an undercover FBI sting operation, arrested in June and held without bail.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton accepted their pleas Friday afternoon.

Walter Myers pleaded guilty to plotting to commit espionage and to wire fraud and agreed to serve a life sentence.

His wife pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of plotting to gather and transmit national defense information and agreed to serve six to 7 1/2 years in prison. Both agreed to cooperate fully with investigators.