Russell Taylor, the former director of an anti-obesity charity for children founded by ex-Subway spokesman Jared Fogle, was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Thursday by a federal judge on child pornography charges, according to The Associated Press.
The sentence was handed down to Taylor after the 44-year-old pleaded guilty to charges accusing him of using hidden cameras to produce and distribute pornography of 12 children. He will also be under lifetime supervision after serving his time in prison.
The prosecuting attorney argued that Taylor should be handed down a prison sentence of 35 years for "repeatedly engaged in criminal activity targeting children" and his actions "greatly impacted the lives of 12 children and their families." Counsel representing Taylor sought a sentence between 15 to 23 years, 15 years being the minimum sentence as per federal law.
Last month, Fogle was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and admitted to paying minors for sex, as HNGN previously reported. Taylor secretly filmed the children, between ages 9 and 15, while they were in the bathroom showering, bathing and changing clothes and then shared the film with Fogle.
Taylor's attorneys argued in court that their client deeply regrets his actions and stated that he has had mental health problems in the past and was also sexually abused as a minor. The counsel also argued that Fogle was psychologically abusive towards Taylor and controlled him after hiring his services as the director of his foundation.
Taylor took charge of Fogle's foundation in 2009 until he was arrested earlier this year. The shocking revelation of their actions ended Fogle's successful career as the face of the fast food franchise. Fogle was made a spokesperson for Subway's advertising campaigns from 2000 to 2015 after his significant weight loss, purportedly from eating Subway sandwiches, according to NBC News.
