Jerry Sandusky, the once-famous coach of Pennsylvania State University was ordered Tuesday to spend a minimum of 30 years and a maximum of 60 years in jail for abusing 10 boys in a period of 15 years while he served the football team of Penn State.
"The sentence has the unmitigated impact of saying the 'rest of your life in prison','' said Judge John Cleland who handed down the sentence.
"Your crime is not only what you did to their bodies, but your assault on their psyche and their souls," Cleland told Sandusky at the hearing in Centre County Court.
"The tragedy of this story is it is a story of betrayal. Some of your victims had a genuine affection for you."
Even when the victims were narrating their horrifying experiences, Sandusky defiantly stood and uttered, "I did not do these alleged disgusting acts."
Addressing the court, Sandusky said: "Others can take my life. They can make me out to be a monster....I tried to bring joy, I tried to make people laugh,"
Sandusky said referring to his work at The Second Mile charity he founded to help at-risk youth and was accused of using it as a recruitment ground for his victims between 1994 and 2008.
He broke down as he talked about his family. He said: "We will continue to fight. There is much to fight."
Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of child sex abuse and was kept in solitary confinement. As a result of the sentencing, he won't be eligible for parole until he is 98 years of age. The decision on which of the 25 prisons will host him will be taken once Sandusky's evaluation is completed at Camp Hill State Correctional Institution.
As it is likely that he will be targeted by other prisoners for being convicted as a child molester, he will either be kept in isolation or protective custody. He may be assigned a menial job like clerical work and will be paid 19 to 52 cents an hour.
He is allowed to have five visits a month.
