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Former Jared Fogle associate to be sentenced for child porn

The ex-director of the foundation started by former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle is scheduled to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in IN on Thursday to charges of child sexual exploitation and child pornography.

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Fogle has already been sentenced to 15 plus years behind bars on charges of pedophilia and child pornography.

In this August 19, 2015, file photo, former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle leaves the federal courthouse in Indianapolis, following a hearing on child-pornography charges.

While today’s sentencing ends the long, drawn out escapade surrounding both men’s arrests for sexual offenses against children, one prosecution witness, detective Darin Odier, said the investigation was ongoing “on people beyond Russell Taylor and Jared Fogle”.

Taylor admitted to using hidden cameras to take pictures of 12 children as they were changing clothes.

Brad Banks, Taylor’s lead attorney, acknowledged Taylor deserved to spend more time in prison than Fogle, calling Pratt’s determination an “extremely fair” sentence. The federal judge in a courtroom in Indianapolis met the two camps in the middle and slapped the 44-year-old defendant with 27 years.

The judge said Taylor won’t be eligible for release from prison until he’s 65. He also pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. Investigators found pornography on computer equipment, storage devices, cameras and other media in a search of Taylor’s Indianapolis residence, according to previous court filings.

Prosecutors initially asked for a 35-year sentence, and Taylor’s attorney’s tried to bargain for a 15-23-year bid.

Considering that Taylor will go before the same judge who sentenced Fogle, odds are likely he won’t get a lenient punishment.

Federal prosecutors said Fogle, a 38-year-old father of two, received photos and videos depicting eight of Taylor’s 12 child victims.

Taylor’s defense team also argues he his mentally ill and suffered a traumatic childhood. The charity was founded by Fogle to raise awareness of child obesity.

The Jared Foundation cut ties with Taylor after his May arrest. Subway ended its relationship with Fogle after authorities raided his home.

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Fogle was well-known in the U.S. for shedding more than 90kg while in university, partly by eating Subway sandwiches, and becoming a spokesman for the chain.

Russell Taylor