Several high-ranking officials and administrators at Penn State failed to report decades of assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse, and now, they’re paying the price.
Former Penn State president Graham Spanier, ex-vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley all were convicted of child endangerment charges Friday. All three will serve jail time.
Spanier could serve a minimum of two months and a maximum of one year, while Schultz and Curley could serve minimum sentences of two and three months, respectively, and maximums of 23 months.
Spanier, Schultz and Curley were found guilty of the charges in March, when prosecutors determined they knew of Sandusky molesting boys on Penn State’s campus for many years but, along with head football coach Joe Paterno, declined to alert authorities. According to prosecutors, none of the men reported an accusation by Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary, who said he witnessed Sandusky abusing a teenage male in a Penn State shower in 2001.
Spanier apologized before his sentencing Friday but plans to appeal the charges.
“I deeply regret I didn’t intervene more forcefully,” Spanier said, via USA TODAY Sports. “I am very remorseful I did not comprehend the severity of the situation. I sincerely apologize to the victims and to all who were impacted because of my mistake.”
Sandusky is serving a 30-to-60-year prison sentence after being found guilty of 45 counts of sexual abuse in 2012.
Thumbnail photo via Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports Images
