U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, joined a small group of lawmakers from both parties earlier this month to meet Cuban leader Raul Castro, urging the brother of Fidel Castro to release Alan Gross, an American serving 15 years in prison in Cuba after being accused of bringing communications equipment into the country.

“We specifically (asked Castro) about releasing” Gross, who is from Maryland, Brown said in a conference call last week with Ohio reporters.

During the call, Brown urged the United States to end its decades-long embargo of Cuba, saying Ohio “could benefit as a state from trade with Cuba … especially in agriculture.”

In addition to Cuba, the lawmakers also visited Haiti. Brown’s aides did not make public the trip to Cuba for security reasons until after he left the country.