Ex-Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky sentenced to 30-60 years

Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State football coach convicted of molesting multiple children over a period of years, has been sentenced to spend 30 to 60 years in prison.

Because of his age, 68, it’s likely Sandusky will die in prison. In June, Sandusky was convicted of 45 of 48 counts of abusing children. 

According to the local Patriot News, the judge conceded he could have sentenced Sandusky to longer, but the impact would have the same.

“”You are sentenced to spend not less than 30 and not more than 60 years in prison. That has the unmistakeable impact of saying the rest of your life,” Judge John Cleland said, according to the newspaper. 

According to The New York Times, Sandusky remained defiant to the end, releasing a taped statement via a Penn State radio station.

“They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can 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 and that was after marriage,” he said.

Sandusky again denied he was guilty before the sentence was read — a fact the judge cited in his setencing.

“”I think it cannot be disputed that you have done much positive work, tragedy that all the qualities that made you successful continue to conceal the vices that brought you down. Continuing to conceal those vices from yourself and everybody else, in my view, makes you dangerous,” Cleland said.

Sandusky used his prominent position with to the Penn State football program, and the Second Mile charity he established to identify victims and get close to them, without arousing the suspicions of parents and other adults in the children’s lives. In all, the jury found he molested 10 boys.

Of those boys, four have filed lawsuits against the university, seeking compensation for the emotional and physical harm Sandusky did to them. The university has also faced unprecedented punishment from the NCAA — a $60 million fine and a four-year ban on appearing in the post-season.