Stacey Addison - A former Portland veterinarian who was been imprisoned without charge for almost two months in a Southeast Asian country has been released on Christmas day.
"The U.S. government welcomes the decision of a Timor-Leste district court to release U.S. citizen Dr. Stacey Addison from prison on December 25 after she was detained for nearly two months," a State Department press release read. "The Department of State takes its assistance to US citizens abroad very seriously Embassy officials continue to provide all possible consular assistance."
Reports indicate that 41-year-old Stacey Addison left the U.S. on a trip across the world in January 2013 after saving for years and selling her house. She reportedly began her world trip in Antarctica.
While in Southeast Asia on Sept. 5, she crossed the border from Indonesia into a small country called East Timor. There Stacey Addison shared a cab with a man she did not know en route to Dili. Along the way the stranger asked the driver to park so he could pick up a package. Shortly after he picked up the package, police stopped and searched the taxi. They found the package to be full of methamphetamine. Everybody in the car was arrested and taken to the police station.
According to reports, days later, Dr. Addison was released from jail but asked not to leave the country pending investigation. However, in October an East-Timor prosecutor questioned why she should be free and persuaded a court to overturn her conditional release.
The court agreed and Stacey Addison was rearrested on Oct.29. She was sent to a women's prison without being official charged with any crime.
"This is just the best Christmas present, other than her actually coming home," said Bernadette Kero, Addison's mother who had been anticipating a bad Christmas.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who has been a working to ensure that Addison is released, was overjoyed by the news of her release.
"I am overjoyed to learn of Dr. Stacey Addison's release from prison," Merkley said. "This is wonderful Christmas news."
Reports indicate that despite her release, East-Timor authorities have seized Dr. Stacey Addison's passport.
"She has kindly been invited to stay at the guesthouse of the former President of East Timor and Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta," a statement posted on a Facebook advocating her release said.
The post added that Stacey Addison will be taken to the hospital for a checkup and given time to rest and recover from her prison ordeal.
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