Jared Fogle Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in Prison The former pitchman for Subway is said to have possessed and distributed child porn and traveled across state lines for sex with a minor

Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years, eight months in prison for possession and distribution of child pornography and traveling across state lines for sex with a minor.

US District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt delivered the sentence on Thursday in federal court in Indianapolis.

Fogle addressed the court during the hearing and said that being in the spotlight for his entire life made him dependent on alcohol, pornography, and prostitutes.

"For most of my adult life, I've been in the spotlight, trying to be a role model," he said, according to the Indianapolis Star. "I became dependent on alcohol, pornography and prostitutes."

Fogle then started sobbing and continued: "Not a day will go by when I don't think about what I did to (the victims)," according to the Star's report. "I so regret that I let so many of you down."

Noting that his wife will be a single mother now, he said, "Members of my family are also victims of my acts."

The judge presiding over his hearing interrupted him at that point and said: "You gave your wife $7 million, so she'll be OK."

Since being charged, Fogle has visited "internationally renowned forensic psychiatrist" John Bradford and "neuropsychiatric expert" Robert P. Granacher, according to the sentencing memorandum his lawyers filed on November 12.

In testimony for the defense on Thursday, Bradford said that Fogle's sexual interest in children began shortly after he lost weight on a diet of Subway sandwiches.

"Once he lost weight, it seemed as though in a short time he had hyper-sexuality," Bradford said, according to the Star. "There are brain disorders that can be associated with sexual drive."

Bradford said that Fogle suffers from hypersexuality and alcohol abuse, and claimed that he found weak evidence of pedophilia.

The charges against Fogle involve at least 14 girls and boys under 18.

According to charging documents, Fogle "repeatedly engaged in internet social networking and traveled for the purpose of engaging in commercial sexual activity" from 2007 to February 2015.

He often arranged his business trips to coincide with his sexual pursuits, the documents claim.

Fogle is also facing charges for the distribution and receipt of child pornography. According to the documents, Fogle received "images and videos of nude of partially clothed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct," which Russell Taylor, the former director of the Jared Foundation, was accused of recording.

Taylor secretly filmed some of the minors in his home using hidden cameras that captured them changing clothes and bathing, according to the documents.

The Jared Foundation was established to help children eat healthy.

Fogle knew the minors in the images and videos were under 18, including some as young as 13, according to the charging documents.

Fogle first rose to fame as Subway's spokesman 15 years ago, after losing more than 200 pounds while eating the chain's sandwiches. He has a net worth of $15 million.

Subway cut ties with Fogle after an FBI raid of his home in July, a couple weeks before he was charged.