INDIANAPOLIS -- A federal judge sentenced former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle to 188 months (more than 15 years) in prison during a hearing Thursday inside a federal courtroom in Indianapolis.
Fogle, who was charged in a child exploitation case, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive child pornography and traveling to have sex with minors, according to WXIN.
Fogle’s attorneys worked out a plea deal with federal prosecutors in August and agreed to plead guilty. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 12.5 years, while Fogle’s attorneys asked for 5 years. Judge Tanya Walton Pratt told Fogle the court had the authority to sentence him to up to 50 years.
Fogle told the court he understood the terms of his plea agreement and said he was pleading guilty of his own free will. During a tearful statement, Fogle called his own conduct "horrible" and said he went from being a person with good values to one who became deceptive and self-centered.
"I have become dependent on alcohol, pornography and prostitutes," he told the court.
"Not a day will go by where I won't think of (the victims). I hope the restitution will help in their lives," he said.
"It is my intent to learn from these experiences so that I never, ever do these things again," he said. "I take full responsibility for what I've done."
Fogle had no visible reaction when the sentence was announced Thursday afternoon.
Under the agreement, Fogle isn’t allowed to have unsupervised meetings with minors. The court granted an exception requested by Fogle’s lawyers: he can see his children without supervision.
Under supervised release, Fogle will be constantly monitored on electronic devices including computers and cell phones. He also paid $1.4 million to 14 minor victims in the case for counseling, support and recovery. If additional victims are found, the court said they could also receive restitution from Fogle.
In April, Fogle’s friend and associate Russell Taylor was arrested in a child pornography investigation. That later led to a raid at Fogle’s home in Zionsville. Investigators combed through thousands of text messages, emails, photos and videos in connection with the case.
Taylor was accused of recording minors without their consent. Fogle viewed those videos, prosecutors said, and knew what Taylor was doing. He didn't do anything to stop him, prosecutors argued, adding that Fogle knew some of the minors. Taylor also provided him with commercial child pornography. According to court documents, Fogle paid to have sex with minors, contacting prostitutes in order to facilitate the encounters.
In court Thursday, Fogle acknowledged wrongdoing, leading to a two-level reduction in sentencing. Fogle waived his right to appeal.
