Court documents and a psychological evaluation of Jared Fogle’s child porn co-conspirator Russell Taylor point to a twisted relationship between the two, involving manipulation that spanned years.
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Through the Jared Foundation, Taylor traveled with Fogle across the country and around the world – all the while sharing drinks, prostitutes and sick confidences. He wore a dark green prison jumpsuit. A 15-year sentence is the minimum under federal law.
“Mr. Taylor’s profile suggests that he is fearfully dependent and socially anxious and he is highly likely to depend on others for guidance due to his inability to assert himself…”
The sex-crazed sandwich pitchman sought out roofies in 2012, allege the new papers, which were filed by his co-defendant, Russell Taylor.
Russell Taylor, 44, agreed in September to plead guilty to child exploitation and child pornography charges on accusations of using hidden cameras to produce and provide homemade child pornography to his boss.
“We’re very happy with that result”, senior litigation counsel Steve DeBrota said.
Taylor pleaded to the judge for mercy.
In the end, Judge Tanya Walton Pratt gave him 27 years for producing child pornography and another 20 years for distributing it – a sentence closer to prosecutors’ request than Taylor’s. Taylor, DeBrota said, had to be “patient, calculating, devious and motivated”.
Prosecutors recommended Taylor receive 35 years in prison.
Court-appointed psychologists revealed claims Taylor made during a psychological assessment in November. His mother looked on intently, gently patting her chest with one hand. All family members declined to make any comment. “I’ve been falling asleep in a puddle of tears every night… crying out to God”.
He also encouraged Taylor to produce more images, they added. Taylor said he spent much of his life feeling alienated, “a guy that’s been lonely for a long time”.
However when agents searched Fogle’s own home in July, it turned out the long-time Subway spokesman and father of two possessed child abuse images and had paid for sex with underage girls. She told that Taylor had been beaten by his mother.
Surprisingly enough, Taylor was also happy with his judgment.
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But DeBrota attempted to discredit the psychologist’s work, saying it relied nearly exclusively on Taylor’s word and was “unworthy of this court”. However, she added that both he and Jared Fogle clearly “knew right from wrong” while involved in the production and sharing of child pornography.
