Subway pitchman reaches plea deal
Fogle paid for sex acts with minors
Longtime Subway pitchman Jared Fogle agreed Wednesday to plead guilty to allegations he paid for sex acts with minors and received child pornography in a case that destroyed his career at the sandwich- shop chain and could send him to prison for more than a decade.
Prosecutors alleged that Fogle knew the pornography had been secretly produced by the former director of his charitable foundation, which sought to raise awareness about childhood obesity and arranged for Fogle to visit schools and urge children to adopt healthy eating and exercise habits.
Authorities said Fogle offered to pay adult prostitutes a finder’s fee if they could connect him with minors for sex acts, including some as young as 14 or 15 years old.
“This is about using wealth, status and secrecy to illegally exploit children,” U. S. attorney Josh Minkler said.
A tight- lipped Fogle sat in federal court with his hands clasped and quietly answered “no” when the judge asked whether he had any questions about his rights. He is expected to enter the formal plea at a later date to one count each of travelling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
The agreement released by prosecutors said Fogle will pay US$ 1.4 million in restitution to 14 minor victims, who will each receive $ 100,000. He will be required to register as a sex offender and undergo treatment for sexual disorders.
The government agreed not to seek a sentence of more than 12 1/ 2 years in prison, and Fogle agreed not to ask for less than five years, according to court documents.
Federal judges have wide discretion in sentencing, and Fogle could get a longer sentence. The childporn charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The count involving sex with a minor is punishable by up to 30 years.
Fogle “knows that restitution can’t undo the damage that he’s done, but he’ll do all in his power to try to make it right,” defence attorney Jeremy Margolis told reporters.
Federal prosecutors allege that Fogle, 37, travelled to pay for sex acts, including with minors, from 2007 until as recently as June.
The court document detailing the charges against Fogle states that he paid for sex at New York City hotels with two girls under age 18.
One of the girls told investigators she had sex with Fogle three times in November 2012 and again two months later. After their first meeting, Fogle allegedly texted the girl and offered to pay her if she could find him another underage girl for sex acts.
During those discussions, Fogle “stated that he would accept a 16- year- old girl, while stating that the younger the girl, the better,” the documents said.
From 2011- 13, Fogle also repeatedly sent text messages to escorts, “soliciting them to provide him with access to minors as young as 14 to 15 years,” the documents said.