Jerry Sandusky received a 30 to 60 year prison sentence Tuesday for his conviction of 45 counts of child sexual abuse. Judge John Cleland said Sandusky, who is accused of sexually abusing at least 10 boys over a 15 year span, will serve at least 30 years in prison before he will be eligible for parole. Sandusky, 68, will serve no more than 60 years. He is credited with 112 days already served.
"The crime is not only what you did to their bodies but to their psyches and their souls and the assault to the well-being of the larger community in which we all live," Judge Cleland said at the hearing.
In a lengthy statement aired on Penn State’s student radio station Monday, Sandusky stated his innocence and insisted his conviction is the result of a widespread conspiracy involving Penn State employees, attorneys, investigators and the media. "They could take away my life, they could make me out as a monster, they could treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts. My wife has been my only sex partner. That was after marriage. Our love continues,” he said.
Sandusky maintained his innocence during Tuesday’s hearing, saying several times, "I did not do these disgusting acts." His attorneys have already said they will appeal his conviction. They have 10 days to appeal his sentence.
Penn State President Rodney Erickson released a statement after the hearing. "Our thoughts today, as they have been for the last year, go out to the victims of Jerry Sandusky's abuse. While today's sentence cannot erase what has happened, hopefully it will provide comfort to those affected by these horrible events and help them continue down the road to recovery,” he said.
Sandusky was originally arrested in November 2011 after a two year grand jury investigation. The scandal resulted in Penn State firing longtime football coach Joe Paterno and forcing president Graham Spanier to resign. Both men were accused of covering up Sandusky’s crimes.
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