NEW YORK CITY (BNO NEWS) – A U.S. fugitive returned to the country and pled guilty in Manhattan, New York for hijacking an airplane in 1968, prosecutors said Thursday.

Luis Armando Peña Soltren, 67-year-old U.S. citizen, participated in the hijacking of flight 281, a Puerto Rico-bound Pan American flight to Havana, Cuba on November 24, 1968.

Almost 41 years as a fugitive, Soltren voluntarily returned to the U.S. in October 2009, eventually surrendering to federal authorities. Soltren, and co-conspirators, Jose Rafael Rios Cruz and Miguel Castro, boarded the flight to Cuba in 1968, and with pistols and knives at hand, forced their way to the cabin, and ordered the pilot to land in Havana, Cuba.

Cruz, 68, was arrested in 1975 and Castro, 79, was apprehended in 1976. They both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 15 and 12 years in prison, respectively. Alejandro Figueroa, who was also charged as a co-conspirator, was acquitted in 1969 after a bench-trial.

Soltren pleaded guilty Thursday and now faces a maximum potential penalty of life in prison during his sentencing, which is scheduled for June 29, 2010.

“Luis Armando Peña Soltren admitted in a federal court in Manhattan to participating in the violent hijacking of Pan American flight 281 more than 41 years ago. This guilty plea affirms that the pursuit of justice is tempered neither by distance nor the passage of time,” said United States Attorney Preet Bharara.

“This case is another example of our commitment to work with our partners at the FBI, the Department of Justice Offices of International Affairs, and the Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security, to bring criminals to justice wherever they may hide out and for however long,” he added.