WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- A former State Department employee and his wife , who are accused of spying for Cuba for nearly 30 years , will remain in jail as they await trial , a judge ruled Wednesday . An artist 's sketch shows Walter Kendall Myers , 72 , and his wife , Gwendolyn Myers , 71 , in court Wednesday . Walter Kendall Myers , 72 , and his wife , Gwendolyn Myers , 71 , are charged with conspiracy to act as illegal agents of the Cuban government , wire fraud and providing classified information to Havana , according to court documents . U.S. Magistrate John Facciola ordered the couple Wednesday held without bail after a prosecutor said they posed a flight risk . Investigators found a calendar showing that the couple planned to sail to the Caribbean in November , federal prosecutor Michael Harvey told the court . The two have the financial means to obtain false documents and flee to Cuba with their sailboat or through Mexico or Canada , he said . `` They are unworthy of this court 's trust , '' Harvey added . The couple was quiet and expressionless during the proceedings Wednesday . Kendall Myers sat with his arms folded across his chest , while his wife sat with her arms at her side . They stared straight ahead , and did not appear to acknowledge anyone in the courtroom . A defense attorney urged the court to allow them to remain in their home , where they could visit with their children . `` You could disable the sailboat , freeze their funds and require ankle bracelets , '' Thomas Green said . The judge allowed the couple to meet briefly with their son after the court proceedings , but turned down the request to allow them to go home . He said he was concerned that the two would go to the Cuban Interests Section or the embassy of a country that has diplomatic relations with Cuba . Such a move would put them beyond the reach of federal law enforcement agencies . The State Department has not described what information the Myerses may have passed to their Cuban handlers , but said more information would come out after a full assessment . A senior State Department official said Kendall Myers was an `` upper-level civil service employee '' at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research who `` had come up in the ranks . '' U.S. officials did not discuss the Myerses ' motives for their alleged work for the Cuban government . Conviction on the wire fraud charge would carry a sentence of up to 20 years ; illegally acting as an agent of a foreign government would carry a sentence of up to 10 years ; and the conspiracy charge would carry a sentence of up to five years . Myers retired from the State Department on October 31 , 2007 . He had viewed more than 200 classified reports on Cuba in his final months , even though he was an analyst on European issues at the time , court documents say . The couple has been held without bail since pleading not guilty Friday . A future trial date has not been scheduled . CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report .
NEW : Judge rules that husband , wife will remain in jail as they stand trial . CNN : He cites story about pair fleeing beyond reach of U.S. law enforcement . They 're charged with conspiracy , wire fraud , passing classified data to Havana . Justice Department has n't said what data the pair may have passed to Cuban handlers .