KC man who was arrested in Dubai headed home

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A suburban Kansas City man who had faced four years in prison in the United Arab Emirates after a trace of drugs was found in his carry-on luggage has been freed and was returning home Tuesday, family members said.

Friends, family, strangers and some politicians had rallied around Danny Talbert, 26, of Harrisonville, since he was arrested two weeks ago after guards at a security checkpoint at Dubai International Airport found what they said was a trace of hashish in Talbert's carry-on bag.

A test of Talbert's urine last week came back clean. Talbert told his family in phone calls from prison that the substance must have been planted when he left his bag alone in a hotel room during an overnight stay in Dubai.

His family and friends described Talbert as a "straight arrow" who does not use drugs.

On Monday, Talbert thought he was being transferred from a smaller jail to a larger central jail. Instead, he said, guards surprised him with news that he was being freed and given a ticket to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, his family said.

Talbert called his sister, Tami Caldwell, about noon Monday from Dubai and told her the news.

"He was really in shock," Caldwell said.

United Arab Emirates officials said nothing about why they were releasing him, only that he was exiled from the country, Caldwell said.

Talbert called again about 3 p.m. as he was getting on the plane in Dubai.

"He was a little bit upbeat and spirited," Caldwell said. "You could tell it was hitting him, 'Oh my god, I'm a free man."'

A spokesman for Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said in an e-mail to The Kansas City Star: "Our office has been in contact with the State Department throughout Mr. Talbert's detention. Senator Bond is pleased that State Department and United Arab Emirates officials were able to resolve this case in a way that will allow Mr. Talbert to return to his family as soon as possible."

Talbert had worked in Afghanistan for a Halliburton subsidiary, KBR. He was flying home and had a one-day layover in the United Arab Emirates. He left his bag in the hotel room where he was staying while he ate at a restaurant. It was the only time the bag was out of his sight, his family said.

Talbert, a 1999 graduate of Harrisonville High School, has no criminal record in Missouri, where he lived his entire life until going to Afghanistan a year ago.

Talbert's best friend, Andrew Rives, said he was "on cloud nine" Monday.

"It's been a roller-coaster of emotions fueled by lack of sleep," Rives said. "First it was just shock and just scrambling for help. Then people started jumping on board."

After Talbert's story was publicized, friends and family contacted political leaders, started two online groups to raise awareness and funds, and opened bank accounts for what they expected to be a long, expensive legal fight.

Caldwell called Rives and his wife, Audrey, Monday afternoon and said she had important news about Talbert. Audrey Rives went to the family's home in Harrisonville, prepared to hear the worst.

"I almost didn't believe it," Audrey Rives said. "We kind of jumped up and down. The whole family just kind of group hugged."

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com