Just about everyone remembers Jared, the man who supposedly lost 245 pounds eating Subway sandwiches. Subway made Jared their spokesperson in 2000, a role he served in for nearly 15 years. Jared’s time in the spotlight quickly screeched to a halt when this year, he became the subject of a child pornography and child prostitution investigation. On August 19, Jared pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of traveling to engage in sexual conduct with a minor and child pornography distribution. Today, he was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison.
By Jared’s own admission, he paid to have sex with underage girls, some as young as 16, as well as receiving child porn from Russell Taylor, the man who used to direct Jared’s charitable foundation, The Jared Foundation. As a part of Jared’s plea deal, he agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to each of his 14 victims.
Jared’s charges stemmed from a raid on his home in Indianapolis back in July of this year, at which point Jared’s status as “The Subway Guy” was almost instantly terminated.
According to Jared’s attorneys, Jared is “profoundly sorry” and committed to seeking help for what they described as hyper-sexuality and alcohol dependence… medical conditions.
Corrections AND Rehabilitation
What’s interesting about Jared’s case is his attorneys’ emphasis on addiction/affliction at the root of his offenses. What else would make a seemingly happy and successful father of two participate in illicit activities? When criminal activity can be traced back to a disease, it’s difficult to argue for a punitive-only approach to sentencing.
So much of the criminal justice system has become punitive that we’ve forgotten about the rehabilitation side of the coin. So much so, that we often drop the “rehabilitation” altogether and say things like “Correctional Officer” or “Department of Corrections.” Jared admitted to conduct that was illicit, and for that he is guilty under the law, but perhaps what is even more important than the length of time Jared will be serving in prison is what type of treatment he’ll get once he’s there.
Ohio Offender Rehabilitation Programs
Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) has a variety of programs and services for inmates, including reentry, education, and workforce development programs. There are mental health services within Ohio’s Prison System. The DRC works directly with inmates to provide mental health services by partnering with medical professionals, recovery services, and sex offender programming. The mental health teams in Ohio prisons provide services ranging from assessment and evaluation to crisis intervention and behavior management.
Koffel Brininger Nesbitt works with our clients, not against them, to come to the most favorable resolutions possible, often advocating for treatment and rehabilitation. If you or someone you love has been arrested, we invite you to contact us today for an evaluation of your case.