Jerry Sandusky Sentenced for Child Sex Abuse




10/09/2012 at 10:30 AM EDT



Jerry Sandusky was sentenced Tuesday morning to 30-60 years in prison for molesting 10 boys over a period of 15 years while he was a football coach at Penn State.

The judge said that he would serve no less than 30 years in prison and no more than 60 years.


Sandusky, 68, who proclaimed his innocence in an audio statement that aired Monday night on Penn State's student radio station, could have faced as much as 400 years in jail after being convicted on 45 counts, NBC reports.


A number of Sandusky's accusers were set to give statements to Judge John Cleland before the sentencing, describing the effects of the sexual abuse they suffered as juveniles.


In a lengthy statement Monday, Sandusky denied any wrongdoing and claimed in fact that he was the victim – of a vast conspiracy involving "the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers." He proclaimed his innocence again in court Tuesday morning, saying, "I did not do these disgusting acts," according to CNN.


"They could take away my life, they could make me out as a monster, they could treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart," he said Monday. "In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts. My wife has been my only sex partner. That was after marriage. Our love continues."


The Sandusky case rocked the iconic Penn State football program and the university itself. It led to the firings of longtime head coach Joe Paterno and of university president Graham Spanier.


Paterno died at 85 of lung cancer last January.






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