The woman who ultimately nailed Fogle, Rochelle Herman, spoke to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about what initially tipped her off to Fogle being someone who needed to be caught.
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Fogle, who made millions off Subway endorsements and motivational speeches, used “wealth, status, and secrecy to illegally exploit children”, U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said at a news conference Wednesday.
“He told me that he thought middle school girls were so hot”, said Herman. For years, she wore a wire, talking to Fogle in depth about his sexual encounters with minors and his sexual fantasies he had during his visits to schools. “He really was preference to around the age of 11″.
Obviously horrified by the talk, Herman says she remained focused on her role: gathering information for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He later tried to persuade the reporter to allow him to watch her children with hidden cameras.
During one trip, he asked her to help him out. “He’s a monster. For all of the years that I was working undercover with the FBI, what he expressed to me was that he wanted to do what he was doing”. However, it makes more sense than the idea that anyone would, or even could, make a conscious decision to start enjoying child pornography or sex with minors. And he shared his true desires.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has not confirmed Herman was an informant.
Hearing Fogle’s shocking desires took its toll.
She met with two levels of management, shared the messages with them, “and specifically requested not to have his imagery and merchandising related to him in her stores”, the lawyer said.
Herman-Walrond reported the conversation to authorities. “I never got a “Thank you for emailing” or anything like that, but I sent it and it did go through”. He now faces years behind bars. But Walrond wishes he could be put away for much longer.
Court documents acknowledge 14 victims.
Going through this was a personal hell for Walrond. I can’t say that they were.
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Last month President Obama asked entertainers to stop joking about prison rape, a terrible condition we should be fighting to eradicate-not giggle about in Adam Sandler movies (or newspaper stories).
