A judge has sentenced former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle to 15 years and eight months in prison for trading in child pornography and having sex with underage prostitutes.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt sentenced Fogle on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to one count each of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
Fogle openly wept during the hearing, saying, "Not a day will go by where I won’t think of (the victims.) I hope the restitution will help in their lives."
Fogle agreed to the plea deal in August after authorities raided his suburban Indianapolis home in July.
Prosecutors sought a 12½-year sentence, while Fogle's attorneys sought five years. Fogle also said he would not appeal if the sentence was equal to or less than 12½ years. Fogle must serves at least 85 percent of the term per federal sentencing guidelines, according to the Indianapolis Star.
In sentencing Fogle to a longer term than originally sought by prosecutors, Pratt said the suggested sentence "does not sufficiently account for the defendant's criminal conduct." Pratt's tough assessment continued as she addressed Fogle during the sentencing.
#JaredFogle says his wife is “now a single mother.” Judge: "You gave her $7 million. She’ll be OK.” #FogleSentencing— FOX59 News (@FOX59) November 19, 2015
Judge Pratt on #JaredFogle’s victims: He knew their names, and even sometimes socialized with them at events.— FOX59 News (@FOX59) November 19, 2015
Judge Pratt reads note from mother of victim: “I could have lost my daughter a few weeks ago if she went forward with her suicide thoughts"— FOX59 News (@FOX59) November 19, 2015
At the hearing, forensic psychiatrist John Bradford testified in Fogle's defense, claiming that his diet was the reason for his sex crimes.
The Indianapolis Star reports that Bradford claimed Fogle had “mild or infrequent fantasies about pre-pubertal children,” but his diagnosis is “mild pedophilia.”
“Once he lost weight, it seemed as though in a short time he had hyper-sexuality. There are brain disorders that can be associated with sexual drive.”
Dr. Bradford: Testing showed #JaredFogle was “hyper sexual” and in 94th percentile for sex drive #FogleSentencing https://t.co/vBlb1R0awv— CBS4 Indy (@CBS4Indy) November 19, 2015
The 38-year-old Fogle admitted paying for sex with girls as young as 16 and receiving child pornography produced by his charitable foundation's former director. He also agreed to pay his 14 victims $100,000 each in restitution.
In August, Subway officially cut ties with Fogle, stating, "We no longer have a relationship with Jared and have no further comment."
According to WTHR, authorities had raided his home after being granted a federal search warrant as part of an ongoing child pornography investigation involving the Jared Foundation, which Fogle founded to teach children about healthy living.