The former National Football League safety was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison for drugging and raping multiple women across multiple states. But the federal judge in his case, Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, rejected that suggestion during a hearing back in June and asked for a longer sentence.
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Sharper, a five-time Pro Bowl player, originally faced five counts of drugging and raping three women in Scottsdale, Arizona, in November 2013.
Last year, Sharper appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom and pleaded no-contest to charges of raping two women in L.A. that he had allegedly knocked out with the powerful sleeping aid, Zolpidem, known by its brand name, Ambien.
Given the chance to address Sharper in court, one of the victims called Sharper “twisted” before ending her statement with a command. He said “I lived my life right for 38 years and then I took this path”. She said the arrogance and stupidity he showed in attacking so many victims over such a short time handed authorities their case against him “on a silver platter”.
Milazzo has scheduled sentencing for Licciardi on October 13, and a second New Orleans codefendant, Erik Nunez. He or friend Brandon Licciardi, a former sheriff’s deputy in Louisiana, put anti-anxiety drugs or sedatives into women’s drinks in order to rape them.
During his August 17 court appearance, Darren said he apologized to the victims “1,000 times”, according to the New Orleans Advocate. “A mistake happens once and you never make it again”.
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Sharper has admitted to distributing drugs with the intent to commit rape. In addition to his prison sentence, he faces three years of supervised release. According to their plea deals, Licciardi has accepted a 17-year sentence, and Nunez a 10-year sentence. He began his career with the Packers and retired after the 2010 season following two years with the Saints.
