Dean's parents traveled to Laos where they met with Premier Souvanna Phouma and Prime Minister Prince Souphanouvong in May 1975 in an effort to obtain the release of Dean and Sharman. The U.S. government demanded the release of both Dean and Sharman. Dean was classified as a POW-MIA although he was a civilian, leading to speculation that he was working for the Central Intelligence Agency. According to Howard Dean, his parents believed this to be true, though Howard Dean does not and the CIA says it has no records that Charles Dean was ever in their employ.