Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle was sentenced Thursday to more than 15 years in prison for child pornography and child prostitution, TMZ reports. In addition, Fogle will pay $100,000 in restitution to each of his 14 victims and have a lifetime of supervision upon his release from prison, according to WTHR. "I take full and absolute responsibility for what I've done," Fogle said during the sentencing. "I want to get myself healthy and still try to help others." TMZ reports the 15.6-year sentence was more than the plea deal—five to 12.5 years—struck with prosecutors in exchange for pleading guilty. The judge was not bound by the plea deal and chose not to follow it.
Fogle's defense team argued he should get the minimum five-year sentence because the two victims of child prostitution were—at 16 and 17—close to legal age, TMZ reports. The team also characterized Fogle as having "mild pedophilia" and blamed his patented Subway diet and ensuing weight loss. An expert witness said Fogle merely replaced his compulsive eating disorder with "hypersexuality." At the time, I really didn't think through what I was doing," WTHR quotes Fogle as saying during sentencing. "At the time I thought it was OK." The station notes that Fogle's own lawyers called his behavior "pathetic." (More Jared Fogle stories.)
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