Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle agrees to plea for sex acts with minors, child porn possession
Updated: Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle is ready to plead guilty to charges that he had sex with minors and received child pornography produced by the former director of his charitable foundation, according to a plea agreement released on Wednesday.
The Indianapolis Star and the Chicago Tribune have stories on the deal in which prosecutors agree to seek a sentence no higher than 12 1/2 years in prison. Fogle, 37, will also pay restitution of $100,000 to each of 14 minor victims.
Fogle appeared in court today and was placed on home detention pending a hearing on the guilty plea, the Indianapolis Star says. No date was set for that hearing.
The agreement (PDF) says Fogle traveled to New York City to pay for sex with two minors aged 17 and 16, and he offered one of the victims money to find other underage girls whom he could pay for sex. He also texted other escorts asking them to refer him minors as young as 14 to 15 years old for commercial sex, the government says.
The plea deal also alleges Fogle received videos produced by Russell Taylor, the former leader of the Jared Foundation who has been charged with production and possession of child pornography. Prosecutors allege Taylor secretly made videos of 12 minors at his residence with cameras hidden in clock radios while the minors were changing clothes or bathing. Fogle knew the videos depicted minors as young as 13 or 14 years old, prosecutors allege in this document (PDF).
Taylor also provided Fogle with depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct that had been obtained through Internet file distribution sources, according to prosecutors. The victims in those videos were as young as approximately 6 years of age, the government says.
Fogle’s lawyer, Jeremy Margolis, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse. The Indianapolis Star reported his comments.
“Jared Fogle is agreeing to plead guilty to the charges filed against him today,” Margolis said. “In doing so, Jared is accepting responsibility for what he has done. He is also volunteering to make restitution to those affected by his deplorable behavior. While Jared fully recognizes that such monetary contribution will not undo the harm he has caused, he is hopeful it will assist these individuals as they try to move forward with their lives.
“Jared also understands that he requires significant psychiatric medical treatment and counseling. He has already begun that process. …
“Most importantly, Jared understands that he has hurt innocent people, vulnerable people, and his family. He has expressed remorse to me and to his loved ones, and will, when given the opportunity, express that remorse to this court and to the people he has harmed. His intent is to spend the rest of his life making amends.”
Updated at 10:50 a.m. to report that no date had been set for the hearing on the guilty plea. Updated at 12:30 p.m. to include statement from Fogle’s lawyer.
