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Prosecutor seeks 10 years for teacher rapist

By WTOP Staff

MATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana prosecutor is seeking 10 years in prison for a teacher who raped a 14-year-old student, after the Supreme Court rejected a one-month sentence from an earlier judge whose comments pinned some responsibility on the victim.

A re-sentencing hearing for 55-year-old Stacey Dean Rambold is scheduled for Friday in Billings before Judge Randal Spaulding.

Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito said he’ll ask for 20 years in state prison with 10 years suspended.

But in a memorandum with the court filed Tuesday, Rambold’s attorney argued for a more lenient 15-year sentence to the Department of Corrections with all but two years suspended. Defense attorney Jay Lansing noted that Rambold has no prior criminal record and was ranked by the state as a low-risk sex offender.

A Department of Corrections sentence could potentially allow Rambold to serve his time in a pre-release center or similar community setting rather than prison.

The former Billings Senior High School teacher was 47 in 2007 when he raped freshman Cherice Moralez, a student in his business class.

She committed suicide while the case was pending. He served his 30 days under the original sentence last year at Montana State Prison and has since been free.

In Tuesday’s court filing, Lansing urged Spaulding to review a pair of recorded interviews of Moralez conducted by law enforcement prior to her death.

District Judge G. Todd Baugh, who handled Rambold’s original sentencing, referenced those interviews when he commented last year that Moralez appeared “older than her chronological age” and “was probably as much in control of the situation as the defendant.” Rambold’s attorneys also have suggested Moralez bore some responsibility.

Twito said he plans to call psychologist Brenda Roche to testify on what the interviews say about the victim’s cognitive state. The recordings from 2008 and 2009 have not been publicly released.

“This is still a 14-year-old girl,” Twito said Tuesday. “Children that age do not understand the consequences of their statements and their actions.”

In a unanimous April ruling, the Supreme Court rejected Baugh’s one-month sentence as illegal and ordered the case assigned to a new judge for re-sentencing. In their opinion, justices rejected the idea that Moralez’ perceived maturity had any bearing on Rambold’s punishment.

Under state law, children younger than 16 cannot consent to sexual intercourse.

Baugh plans to retire when his current term expires at the end of the year. In July, the Supreme Court publicly reprimanded the six-term judge, invoking a rarely-used censure to declare him guilty of misconduct in the case.

Spaulding, of Roundup, was named to the case after six other judges recused themselves.

___

Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com

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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