Jared Fogle Is Sentenced to Prison — But Still a Victim in His Own Mind

On the surface, Jared Fogle looked like a winner.

Through a diet that consisted largely of Subway sandwiches, he lost 245 pounds, became a national pitchman for the food chain, married two women and had two children.

But under it all, he was always a sick man — not as much in his body as in his mind and soul.

After pleading guilty on child pornography and sex charges involving minors, Fogle was sentenced on Thursday, Nov. 19, to 15-1/2 years in federal prison.

From Reuters:

Fogle, who became famous after losing weight on a diet that included sandwiches from the fast-food chain, agreed in August to a deal with prosecutors under which he would plead guilty to charges of child pornography and traveling for illicit paid sex with minors.

Fogle agreed in court on Thursday to avoid pornography, get sexual disorder treatment and will be a registered sex offender. U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt also sentenced him to a lifetime of supervision and a $175,000 fine.

Pratt went beyond what either side wanted: prosecutors had sought a 12-1/2 year sentence, while Fogle’s attorneys had asked for five years.

“The defendant was obsessed with child pornography and sex with minors,” Pratt said. Fogle was remanded to the custody of a U.S. Marshall, and Pratt recommend he go to a federal prison in Littleton, Colorado.

Of course, his lawyers tried to plead a case about how Fogle was a victim of his obsessions — first of food, then of alcohol, pornography and sex with minors (along with extramarital affairs).

Also from Reuters:

Fogle cried during his statement before sentencing, saying his wife and children would never get over this.

“You gave your wife $7 million, she’ll be okay,” Pratt responded. Fogle’s wife filed for divorce, according to media reports.

Fogle said he now acknowledges that the minors involved had been gravely harmed.

Ya think?

We are now so deep in this mire of psychological “understanding” that we have forgotten simple concepts of right and wrong. Whatever Fogle’s issues, it’s hard to imagine this grown man didn’t know that possessing pornographic pictures of children was wrong, that paying to have sex with underage teens was wrong, that cheating on his wife was wrong, that doing irreparable harm to her and his children was wrong.

He knew, but gratifying his own desires took precedence over all of it. And isn’t that always the way with these predators? What they want matters far more than any harm they cause. Whatever lies they may tell themselves and others, in the end, other people exist as objects to be used to pleasure themselves.

Immaturity, narcissism and selfishness — the unholy trinity of the Church of Me.

Fogle’s mental maladies are between him and his therapist, his spiritual sickness is between him and his spiritual adviser, but what he did is between him and society — and that’s what matters to the rest of us. Unless you’re too mentally ill or disabled to know what you’re doing is wrong, then you should pay the price for your crimes against society, and no “issues” should interfere with that happening.

Of course, get treatment in prison so you don’t re-offend (if it works), but rehabilitation is no substitute for sure and swift punishment — the fear of which, in a world where God is your pal and never your judge, is sometimes the only deterrent.

I will say a prayer for Fogle — after I thank God that he’s going to prison, and say one first for his children, his wife and the young people he “gravely harmed.”

And, in case you were wondering, I think any priest (or teacher, coach , scouting leader, pastor, live-in boyfriend, Hollywood celebrity or anyone else, because they’re everywhere) who molested or is molesting children, and anyone who covers up for them, should be in jail, too.

As for any of you out there with pornography on your computer (underage children or not), or who are cheating on your spouse, or consorting with prostitutes, look in the mirror.

There’s some piece of Jared Fogle in that reflection.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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