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American who hijacked jet to Cuba gets 20 years

By WTOP Staff

CURT ANDERSON
AP Legal Affairs Writer

MIAMI (AP) — An American who returned from Cuba decades after hijacking a jetliner to the communist island was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in U.S. prison but will be eligible for early release on parole, an acknowledgement by prosecutors of the years he spent behind bars in Cuba.

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore imposed the sentenced Thursday on William Potts Jr., 57, for the 1984 hijacking of the Piedmont Airlines flight en route from New York to Miami. Potts pleaded guilty to a kidnapping charge, which was substituted by prosecutors for a previous air piracy charge that would have required Potts to serve a minimum of 20 years.

This way, Potts should get out on parole after serving almost seven years, or one-third of the overall sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Medetis said that was the government’s way of giving Potts credit for 13 years he served in Cuba — the Combinado del Este Prison near Havana that Potts’ lawyer, Robert Berube, described as a “hellhole.”

“He did an unbelievable amount of time in a very bad place,” Berube said.

Potts apologized in court and said he is no longer the self-described angry black militant, calling himself “Lt. Spartacus,” who claimed in a note to a flight attendant that he planned to blow up the flight unless it was diverted to Cuba. Potts returned to the U.S. last year hoping to resolve the case so he could spend time with his two children, who moved from Cuba to this country earlier.

“I changed a long time ago, not just because I’m here before you,” Potts told the judge. “I promise you’ll never regret this if you give me a chance.”

Moore, who could have put Potts behind bars for life, said prosecutors made a major concession by filing the reduced charge to give Potts a relatively light sentence.

“This is a changed defendant and a remorseful defendant,” Moore said.

Parole has been abolished in the federal system, but it still applies for Potts because his crime was committed so long ago.

Potts was arrested by Cuban authorities as soon as the Piedmont Airlines jetliner landed in Cuba in March 1984. He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars, ultimately serving 13 years before his release.

In previous interviews, Potts said he thought he’d be welcomed as a hero and given training as a guerrilla. After his release, he lived quietly east of Havana until last year when he decided to return to the U.S. to resolve the charges here.

“I hoped that we could work this out. That’s why I came back of my own accord,” Potts said in court. “Your honor, I didn’t get away with anything.”

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Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt

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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