Cosby gets 3 to 10 years in prison
Judge also declares fallen comedian is a ‘sexually violent predator’
Sentence in sexual assault case caps the once-beloved comedian’s downfall |
Bill Cosby was sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison yesterday for his conviction for sexually assaulting a woman, capping the once-beloved comedian’s downfall from “America’s Dad” to convicted felon.
Cosby, 81, was found guilty in April of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for the drugging and sexual assault of his one-time friend Andrea Constand, a former Temple University administrator, at his Philadelphia home in 2004.
The sentence ensures that Cosby will spend no less than three years behind bars before he becomes eligible for supervised release, though he could end up staying in prison for as much as a decade.
Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven O’Neill ordered Cosby, who was out on bail, jailed immediately.
O’Neill also fined Cosby $25,000 and ordered him to pay the costs of the prosecution, calling Cosby’s crime “very serious.” There was no visible reaction from the disgraced entertainer.
Cosby was the first celebrity to be convicted for sexual abuse since the start of the #MeToo movement, the national reckoning with misconduct that has brought down dozens of powerful men in entertainment, politics and other fields.
Before handing down the prison sentence, O’Neill also decided to designate Cosby a “sexually violent predator” under Pennsylvania law.
Under that designation, Cosby must undergo monthly counselling and register as a sex offender with police for the rest of his life. Neighbours and schools will be notified of his address and crimes.
Cosby’s lawyers have already said they plan to appeal his conviction, and he has denied any wrongdoing.