An American who had been imprisoned for nearly two years in Nicaragua left the country Friday , a day after he was set free , and was en route to a reunion with his family , a spokesman for his family told CNN . Jason Puracal , a 35-year-old native of Washington state , had been serving a 22-year sentence for drug-related crimes in one of the Latin American country 's most notorious prisons . He was one of 12 people whose charges were vacated , according to his legal team and a judicial order signed Wednesday that the team gave to CNN . Since his arrest in 2011 , Puracal had many defenders who said the charges were baseless . They included human rights activists , international attorneys , a U.N. body , a former FBI investigator and a U.S. congressman . Details about Puracal 's two years in prison . In August , Puracal spoke by phone with CNN 's Anderson Cooper , saying he was imprisoned in a `` hellhole '' and that he was `` 100 percent innocent . '' `` I do n't know the reason that I 'm here , '' Puracal said . `` That 's been a mystery from the very beginning . What the motives behind the police and the prosecution have been . '' Wednesday 's court order resulted from an appeal hearing that concluded this summer , in which Puracal 's legal team argued for his release . `` The family is thrilled to hear the news that they are another huge step closer to bringing Jason home , '' said Eric Volz , a spokesman for Puracal 's family and managing director of the David House Agency , the crisis-management firm handling the case , prior to his client 's release . `` There is one thing we have known all along over the past two years : Jason is innocent . '' Citing safety concerns , Volz would not say where or when the reunion was to take place . Puracal , who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua , is married to a Nicaraguan and has a son , is to appear Monday on CNN 's `` AC360 . ''
Jason Puracal had been serving a 22-year sentence for drug-related crimes . He was freed Thursday . Puracal , who is married to a Nicaraguan , left the country Friday .