Jared Fogle leaves the courthouse on August 19, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fogle. (Getty)
Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle has been sentenced to 15 years and six months in federal prison for child sex crimes and possession of child pornography.
Fogle, who pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Tanya Walton Pratt in Indianapolis. Fogle was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to his victims.
He faced between 5 to 50 years in prison. His defense team was asking for five years, while prosecutors were calling for 12.5 years.
Fogle will pay $1.4 million in restitution to 14 victims ($100,000 per victim), pay a $175,000 fine, register as a sex offender and undergo treatment for sexual disorders.
He previously admitted to traveling to New York on at least two occasions to pay to have sex with minors. He also received child pornography from Russell Taylor, the director of his childhood obesity charity. Taylor has also pleaded guilty to federal charges, admitting that he produced and distributed child porn.
Judge Pratt: “Mr. Fogle used his wealth and fame to entice these victims.” #JaredFogle
Fogle apologized to the victims prior to being sentenced, saying “Not a day will go by where I don’t think about them and what I did to impact their lives.” His attorney argued he didn’t need more than five years in prison, because he will spend the rest of his life thinking about the victims and how he ruined everything he had. Fogle told the court he had become addicted to sex, alcohol and prostitutes.
Fogle’s sentence of 188 months is 20 months longer than sentencing guidelines recommended, the judge said. Fogle, who had been free on supervised release pending his sentencing, was immediately taken into federal custody on Thursday.