According to a press release from the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle has agreed to pleadguilty to federal sex crime charges.
In July, federal agents raided the Fogle's home. Many speculated that the raid was conducted in connection with a child pornography investigation involvingRussell Taylor, the former executive director of the Jared Foundation, who was arrested in April after investigators allegedly discovered more than400 sexually explicit videos of minors at his home. However, it soon became clear that Fogle was not just cooperating with the investigation into Taylor'sactivities, but was himself a suspect.
Now, less than two months after federal agents raided his home, formal charges have been filed against Fogle. The same day U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minklerannounced the charges, he also stated that Fogle had already agreed to plead guilty to all of the charges against him.
Fogle is charged in federal court with distribution and receipt of child pornography, conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography, and travelingto engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors.
According to the press release, Fogle became aware of Taylor's activities involving the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl. Instead of reportingthe alleged crime, prosecutors say Fogle became a participant by viewing the child pornography Taylor produced involving the girl. The U.S. Attorneysays Fogle admitted in courtthat "his actions caused the sexual victimization of a total of 12 minors in Indiana before his co-conspirator�s arrest in April 2015."
Federal prosecutors also say Fogle admitted to traveling to other states to engage in child prostitution, and that his acts of commercial sex with minorsbegan prior to his relationship with Taylor and any involvement with child pornography. Reports say he engaged in sex with a 17-year-old prostituteand offered that girl and adult prostitutes a "finder's fee" if they could find a younger girl for him to have sex with: "The younger the girl, the better."
The press release states, "[U]nder the terms of the plea agreement, Fogle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 5 years of imprisonment, a fineof up to $500,000, and supervised release after serving his prison sentence for at least 5 years and up to the remainder of his life. There is no agreedsentence in the case and the government may request of up to 151 months of imprisonment. However, Fogle may not request a sentence below 5 years ofimprisonment."
Additionally, he must pay $1.4 million in restitution to 14 victims in the case, 8 of whom are still minors under the age of 18. He will also forfeit assetstotaling $50,000.
Although Fogle has signed a plea agreement and indicated to the court that he will plead guilty to the charges against him, the hearing to accept his guiltyplea has not yet been scheduled.
The day prosecutors announced charges against Fogle, his wife filed for divorce.
