Ex-Subway pitchman Jared Fogle could face 12 years in prison

Fogle, who confessed to paying for sex with minors and buying child pornography, is set to be sentenced on Thursday.

First Look

Jared Fogle, the disgraced former spokesman of the Subway restaurant chain, could face 12 years in prison for charges related to child pornography and sex crimes following a July raid of his Indianapolis home.

Mr. Fogle confessed to paying for sex with minors as young as 16 and buying child pornography from the former director of his charity foundation, Russell Taylor. In August, Fogle agreed to plead guilty to one count of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. Prosecutors are asking for a 12 and a half year sentence. 

Mr. Taylor directed The Jared Foundation, Fogle’s nonprofit aimed at raising awareness for childhood obesity.

“Fogle has sacrificed absolutely everything he had built – including his family – to engage in sexually explicit conduct with two minors,” prosecutors said in the government’s filing. “He emboldened a molester and a producer of child pornography.”

Fogle, who has an estimated net worth of $15 million, became a Subway spokesman after losing more than 200 pounds by eating the chain’s sandwiches.

Taylor secretly filmed 12 nude minors, and Fogle bought photos or videos of eight of these victims. Prosecutors say Fogle had the opportunity to turn Taylor into authorities and stop his victimization, but instead he encouraged Taylor to produce even more child pornography. 

Fogle’s attorneys are asking for only a five-year sentence, saying their client is “profoundly sorry for what he has done.” Fogle has agreed to dole out $1.4 million to his 14 victims, with each receiving $100,000. His attorneys say this shows “both the genuine remorse he feels and his commitment” to helping his victims “move forward” with their lives.

After serving his sentence, Fogle will be a registered sex offender.

US District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has wide discretion on the former Subway pitchman’s sentence. Although the prosecution has recommended 12 years she could mandate an even long sentence, as the child porn charges carry a possible 20-year punishment and the sex with a minor charge carries a possible 30-year punishment.

Fogle’s second wife Katie, whom he married in 2010, filed for divorce in August. She also requested sole custody of their two children, 4-year-old Brady and 2-year-old Quinn. 

This report contains material from the Associated Press.