Congressman Chris Smith, who announced during his Congressional Hearing that he would go and visit Jacob in prison, was not denied entry into the Palmasola prison, Congressman Smith’s office tells TLS, despite sources close to Jacob Ostreicher which stated otherwise.

The source said that Jacob was taken out to a private room to meet with the Congressman. They met for about 90 minutes.

Smith’s office tells TLS that similar to prisons in the U.S., visitors are not allowed in to the actual facility where the prisoners are held, but entry was made into the prison.

“Local media was waiting to speak to the Congressman after he left. Congressman Smith said he has ZERO tolerance for narco-traffickers. Congressman Smith also said that he has been doing this for 35 years and if Jacob were a narco-trafficker, the Congressman would not be there”, the page said.

The hearing in Bolivia for Jacob which was cancelled multiple times, is expected to take place in the morning.

Ostreicher has been incarcerated for a year without any charges filed against him.

(Source: TLS)