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FBI: 3 cartel members accused of kidnapping SC man

By WTOP Staff

MEG KINNARD
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Three men affiliated with a Mexican drug cartel kidnapped a South Carolina man and held him for ransom for nearly a week in a dispute over $200,000 in marijuana, authorities said Wednesday.

The man was blindfolded and bound at a North Carolina home before FBI agents traced phone calls from his abductors and stormed the residence, rescuing him mostly unharmed, authorities said. His identity was being withheld for his safety.

The kidnapping began early July 9 when the three men, posing as police officers, pulled the man over as he was going to work in his hometown of St. Matthews, about 30 miles southeast of Columbia. His truck, still running, was left on the side of the road with its door open.

Ransom demands were sent to the man’s family within hours of his disappearance and continued for several days.

The man was involved in delivering cocaine, marijuana and money throughout South Carolina and North Carolina, according to a complaint filed in federal court. He is currently not in custody and does not face any charges.

“Right now he’s a victim, and we will have to look at that very carefully,” said FBI agent David Thomas, who is in charge of the Columbia office.

Several months ago, the man received about $200,000 worth of marijuana from the cartel and delivered it to another dealer, but he could not repay the cartel, according to court papers. Authorities are not sure whether he stole the marijuana or was ripped off by the dealer.

In court papers, authorities said they got that information from interviews with the man’s father, who also worked for the drug traffickers. He also has not been charged. Authorities said the case is still developing.

The night he went missing, the man’s fiancee began receiving calls demanding up to $400,000 for his return. Agents traced the calls to Mexico and then to North Carolina. Early Tuesday morning, agents raided a home in Roseboro, about 160 miles northeast of the man’s hometown, and found him bound and in chains, being guarded by two men.

According to court documents unsealed Wednesday, the man later told agents he tried to cut off his restraints with a knife, but a kidnapper discovered his attempt and hit him in the jaw and pointed a gun at him.

Authorities said the suspects — Juan Manuel Fuentes-Morales, 26; Ruben Ceja-Rangel, 57; and Luis Castro Villeda, 22 — appeared in federal court in Raleigh on Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to kidnap. Court documents did not say what cartel with which they are associated or indicate their nationality.

The three men were held without bond pending a detention hearing before a federal magistrate judge scheduled for next week. Elizabeth Luck, a spokeswoman for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Raleigh, said she could not comment.

Officials said the U.S. attorney’s office in Columbia will be handling the prosecution and that the three defendants will likely face extradition to South Carolina.

___

Biesecker reported from Raleigh. Follow him at Twitter.com/mbieseck

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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