LOS ANGELES (WGNO) – Former New Orleans Saint and convicted serial rapist Darren Sharper was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping two women in California, according to the Los Angeles Times.
His 20-year sentence will be served concurrently with the 18-year “global resolution” sentence he was given in August in accordance with a plea deal he reached with prosecutors. Sharper was convicted of drugging and raping nine women in four states – Louisiana, Nevada, Arizona and California – though he was initially accused of sexually assaulting up to 18 women.
Sharper is a five-time pro-bowler who was with the Saints when they won the Super Bowl in 2010. He retired in 2011 and went on to work as an analyst for the NFL Network. The NFL Network fired him immediately after the rape allegations surfaced.
His co-defendants in New Orleans – former St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s deputy Brandon Licciardi and former restaurant worker Erik Nunez, were sentenced in October for their roles in helping Sharper drug and rape women in New Orleans. Licciardi was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison, while Nunez will serve 10 years.
Here’s what one of the California rape victims said in court today, according to the L.A. Times:
“I can only imagine myself lying there like a vegetable while he took advantage of my body without my permission. I have lost every bit of self confidence I’ve ever had and am always in fear while alone. It doesn’t matter whether it’s day or night, I can see a guy and automatically in my head think, ‘What if this guy tries to rape me?’”
Read the full story here.