Three former Penn State officials have been sentenced to jail terms for not reporting a 2001 allegation that Jerry Sandusky, a Penn State assistant football coach, was sexually abusing boys.
On Friday, Penn State’s former president, Graham Spanier, 69, was sentenced to two months in prison and another two months to house arrest. After that, he will be on probation for two years. He will also be required to pay a $7,500 fine, reports CNN.
His attorney had recommended Spanier receive probation and community service. More than 200 letters from college presidents, deans, professors, members of the clergy and others were submitted in support of him.
A week earlier, former Athletic Director Tim Curley and former Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment charges. Curley will pay a $5,000 fine and serve three months in prison, followed by house arrest. Schultz will pay a $5,000 fine and serve two months in prison, followed by house arrest.
Sandusky was an assistant football coach at the university until allegations surfaced that he’d been molesting boys using his position with the school and his charity for troubled children. Sandusky was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison in Oct. 2012 for the abuse of 10 boys over the course of 15 years. The revelations resulted in the resignations or firings of legendary football coach Joe Paterno, in addition to Spanier, Curley and Schultz.
In 2012, former FBI Director Louis Freeh released the findings of his investigation into the case, claiming Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley did not demonstrate any concern for the welfare of Sandusky’s victims until after his arrest. Freeh was also highly critical of Penn State’s board of trustees.
