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Jail time for polygamous sect member in abuse case

By WTOP Staff

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — A member of Warren Jeffs’ polygamous sect who oversaw an Idaho home where nine boys were sent on “repentance missions” by their parents has been given jail time on child abuse charges that included locking one teen in a furnace room for two days.

Nathan C. Jessop, 49, was sentenced to 90 days in jail Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to three counts of misdemeanor injury to a child. Another 360 days in jail were suspended, KPVI-TV reported (http://bit.ly/YMOf3w ).

Jessop belongs to Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, whose members believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven. He is the son of high-ranking FLDS member Merril Jessop, who is serving 10 years in a Texas prison for presiding over the marriage of his then-12-year-old daughter to Jeffs.

Nathan Jessop told police the boys, ages 12 to 17, also were church members and were sent to him by their parents because they were disobedient. He acknowledged physically disciplining them, saying the boys were hard to handle and not well-behaved.

Nathan Jessop acknowledged in court that he locked one of the boys in the furnace room. Prosecutors also said he failed to report that two other boys ran away. The nine boys were removed from the Pocatello home in July after a boy who escaped reported the abuse.

Bannock County Prosecutor Stephen Herzog said the case wasn’t about religion. Eastern Idaho has a large Mormon population.

“What we are talking about is just an individual and what our basic assumptions are about how we treat kids and how we protect their health and safety, and I think that’s really what the case was all about,” he said.

Two of the boys are with foster families. The others returned to family members who belong to the FLDS church, which is based on the Utah-Arizona border.

“Nathan Jessop is a good man, and he is a good person in a bad circumstance, and there are always two sides to every story, and I believe that he is a very good person and he has taken full responsibility for what he did,” said his attorney Ron Tyler Bird.

Nathan Jessop’s wife Tammy Jessop lived in the house too. She told police she was in charge of preparing meals and being the boys’ homeschool teacher. She also taught them to make furniture that was sold in Idaho and Utah.

The boys told police they wouldn’t get a breakfast if they didn’t wake up by 6 a.m. and that the pantries were locked so they wouldn’t eat between meals. They said they sneaked out to get fast food using money they earned doing odd jobs. They got no money from the furniture sales, the report said.

Neighbors Stephen and Roma Hurley said the boys would do odd jobs for them, such as mowing their lawn, to make money. They said they didn’t know much about Nathan Jessop.

“I just never saw the man,” Roma Hurley said. “I think he was extremely secretive.”

Jeffs is in a Texas prison, where he is a serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting underage girls he considered brides. He still reportedly gives orders from there.

Polygamy is a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the mainstream Mormon church and its 15 million members worldwide abandoned the practice in 1890 and strictly prohibit it.

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Information from: KPVI-TV, http://www.kpvi.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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