Jared Fogle apparently couldn’t keep his hands off children. Over the years, the Subway Sandwich front man has been procuring minors for sex and collecting child pornography. Some of that kiddie porn was even produced by his friend and former head of Fogle’s charitable foundation. His wife dumps him, Subway severs all ties and it looks like Fogle’s six-inch sub sends him to prison.
Jared Fogle, Subway’s famous front man, plead guilty to charges of paying for sex with minors and possessing child pornography. His career with Subway is toast and he may be headed to prison for several years. In a horrifying revelation, it seems that everyone’s beloved sandwich spokesman had a “procurement” network that brought him 14 minors and loads of kiddie porn. All his good works will be forgotten as Fogle’s six-inch sub sends him to prison.
The allegations read like a bad TV movie. According to U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler, “This is about using wealth, status and secrecy to illegally exploit children.” Authorities allege that Fogle knew his friend, Russell Taylor, also the former head of Fogle’s charitable foundation, was producing amateur child pornography. They also state that Fogle paid adult prostitutes finder’s fees for procuring minors for him. Once in his clutches, he sexually molested them. Some of his victims were only 14 years old.
Fogle answered, “No” when asked by the judge if he had any questions about his rights. The formal plea will be entered as one count of travelling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and receipt and distribution of child pornography. Prosecutors released the plea agreement, which states that Fogle will pay each victim $100K in restitution, register as a sex offender and seek help for his sexual disorders.
The agreement further states that the government will not ask for more than 12.5 years in prison as Fogle’s sentence and he agreed not to ask for less than 5 years. However, Federal judges have broad discretionary powers when it comes to sentencing. The kiddie porn charge could bring a maximum of 20 years and the sex with a minor charge carries up to 30 years. Fogle was released on house arrest and must submit to GPS monitoring until his next court date. It could be several months before he appears again. At that time, a judge will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and decide sentencing.
Fogle also faces allegations of having hotel sex with two different 16-year-old girls in New York City. Investigators say one of them reports having sex with him three times in November 2012 and once more two months later. She was 17 at their last meeting. She told investigators that she informed Fogle of her age when they first met. Pervy McPerverson texted her later and offered her a finder’s fee to bring him another minor girl for sex. According to the girl, Fogle “stated that he would accept a 16-year-old girl, while stating that the younger the girl, the better.”
Jeremy Margolis, Fogle’s lawyer, said that Jared “knows that restitution can’t undo the damage that he’s done, but he will do all in his power to try to make it right.” Margolis added that his client has a “medical problem” and “expects to get well.”
Authorities are “fairly confident” that the sandwich super-star only had 14 victims. According to U.S. Attorney Steven DeBrota, investigators examined roughly 159K text messages, 27K emails and 47K images before coming to that conclusion. At least that’s some good news.
Fogle’s wife, Katie, filed for divorce the same day he was in federal court hearing the charges. She issued the following statement through her lawyer:
“Obviously, I am extremely shocked and disappointed by the recent developments involving Jared. I am in the process of seeking a dissolution of the marriage. My focus is exclusively on the well-being of my children.” She added that the statement would be her only public comment on the issue and asked for privacy.
This whole mess saddens and angers me. I’m sad for the 14 children who were procured for this disgusting pervert. I’m sad for all the issues these children will face and all the therapy they will need. Speaking of… $100K in restitution? What a farce! That will about cover the first five years of therapy.
I’m sad for Fogle’s wife and children. Not only did they discover that he’s a twisted predator entirely lacking in remorse, but everywhere they go, they will be stained with the stigma of his actions.
I’m also pretty angry. This obviously wasn’t a case of “I got drunk and slept with the babysitter,” which would be bad enough. No, this was a systematic and ongoing indulgence in behavior that Fogle must have known was wrong. This is the case of a seasoned predator who’s only stopped because he got caught. “Medical problem” my ass! He has no true remorse, nor any true desire to stop preying on children. If none of this had come to light, I’d bet just about anything that he’d still be out there looking for his next victim.
Angry doesn’t begin to describe how I feel when I consider that Fogle got to go home to his expensive and comfortable house to await his court date. The man bought children like I buy ice cream, people! Why is he not in jail like every other criminal whose crime involved hurting innocent children? Oh, wait! I forgot!
Jared Fogle is a rich white guy.
They say justice is blind. I can tell you, it sure isn’t colorblind. I wrote a piece yesterday about an African American man who was strip-searched in public without cause. But give us a rich white guy who bloody admits that he procured children for sex and he gets to retire to his McMansion to await his hearing. That isn’t justice, that’s bullshit.
Even the U.S. Attorney says this is a case of using money and status to carry out horrible crimes against children. And that plea agreement? I hope Fogle gets the crankiest, meanest, baby-raper hating judge in the courthouse! No more that 12.5 years… In 12.5 years, Fogle’s victims will still be sorting through the psychological damage inflicted upon them. Some may not even be able to do so.
Personally, I hope Sandwich Man gets the max sentence on both counts. Even then, I’m sure his status will swing him “protected custody” instead of general population. After all, if he went to general population, he’d get a taste of his own medicine. Child molesters rank very low on the prison status bar. He’d make new friends who would teach him what it feels like to be regarded as a toy for someone else’s pleasure.
In the end, whether he gets 12.5 years or 30, recidivism rates for pedophilia are through the roof. Once he gets out, he’s bound to go back to his old ways. I can only hope that he’s too well known (and poor) to be successful at it.
Subway is battening down the hatches. Despite formally severing their relationship with this loser, the public will still associate the company with Fogle’s foulness for a while. If Subway’s PR people handle it correctly, they should weather the storm. The truth is, the pervert’s conduct really had nothing to do with the company, but it, like his victims, will pay for Fogle’s misdeeds.
I’m sure I’ve made my opinion of this matter crystal clear. Just in case there’s any doubt, I leave you with:
Belle Isle’s Rule #1: If you hurt children, animals or those who can’t fight back, you’re the lowest of the low & don’t deserve anything good in your life. Now or ever.
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