Sports Criminals: Jerry Sandusky
- 10 years ago
It takes a lot to rank No. 1 on a list that includes convicted rapists, kidnappers and murderers, but Jerry Sandusky blazed a trail past everyone to the top of our list when he was charged with systemically raping young boys for at least 15 years.
Sandusky's achievements before he was taken down for so much unspeakable sexual assault were the stuff of college football lore. After playing defensive end for Penn State during his college career, Sandusky went on to be a successful and lucrative defensive coordinator and linebacking coach for 30 years.
In 1977, he founded The Second Mile, a non-profit charity focused on helping underprivileged and at-risk youth. George W. Bush cited the organization as a "shining example" of charity work while celebrities like Arnold Palmer and Mark Wahlberg served on The Second Mile's honorary board.
But underneath all the praise were the disgusting facts. Sandusky used his charity to find young victims, build a trust with them, and then victimize them with horrific acts of sexual abuse. This former titan of college football was found guilty of 45 counts of sexual crimes against children -- and it's likely that there were many more victims who never came forward.
Sandusky is currently serving a 60-year sentence with no chance of parole before 2042.
Sandusky's achievements before he was taken down for so much unspeakable sexual assault were the stuff of college football lore. After playing defensive end for Penn State during his college career, Sandusky went on to be a successful and lucrative defensive coordinator and linebacking coach for 30 years.
In 1977, he founded The Second Mile, a non-profit charity focused on helping underprivileged and at-risk youth. George W. Bush cited the organization as a "shining example" of charity work while celebrities like Arnold Palmer and Mark Wahlberg served on The Second Mile's honorary board.
But underneath all the praise were the disgusting facts. Sandusky used his charity to find young victims, build a trust with them, and then victimize them with horrific acts of sexual abuse. This former titan of college football was found guilty of 45 counts of sexual crimes against children -- and it's likely that there were many more victims who never came forward.
Sandusky is currently serving a 60-year sentence with no chance of parole before 2042.