Gerald Arthur "Jerry" Sandusky is an American former football coach and convicted sex offender.
Background[]
Sandusky's father worked for over 30 years in youth service programs and was a director of a children's recreational center. Sandusky himself adhered to what he called "Jer's Law", a set of rules that dictated he could be mischievous (as long as no one was purposefully harmed), that he would always be respectful to his teachers, and that he would own up to breaking any rules. He was a good student and very athletic while attending Washington High School, but was described as a loner who never dated anyone. Sandusky eventually married in 1966 and fathered a total of six children (as well as serving as a foster parent to even more), two of whom would go on to serve in the football division of sports.
Sandusky started playing football in 1963 while at Penn State and later served as an assistant coach. He continued to hold various coaching positions throughout the 60s, most prominently as an assistant coach from 1969 to 1999. He received "both an unusual compensation package and a special designation of 'emeritus' rank that carried special privileges, including access to the university's recreational facilities" and a total of $168,000 for his work after he retired. Sandusky would go on to host many football summer camps and was active in the children's charity The Second Mile and was praised by then-president George Bush for his work. Records of boys who attended through programs Sanudusky was involved in and of his travel and expenses went missing and most of them have remained unfound.
Crimes[]
At some point, Sandusky began sexually preying on boys and students at Penn State or at The Second Mile. In 2002, an assistant coach Mike McQueary alleged he walked in on what he saw was Sandusky raping a 10 year old boy. He reported it to head coach Joe Paterno, who in turn reported it to a university director Tim Curley. He and senior vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz called McQueary to a meeting later that same week, where the latter graphically described what he saw in the Penn State locker rooms. In 2008, a Penn State student made abuse allegations against Sandusky and they were investigated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. More boys came forward against him and numerous allegations began to surface, including one of Sandusky's adopted sons, Matt. An investigation lasting three years was launched after a boy came forward saying that Sandusky had repeatedly had inappropriate contact with him for 4 years since he was 10.
Sandusky was arrested on November 5, 2011 and was banned from Penn State the next day. He was interviewed over the phone while in custody by an NBC news magazine and spoke with Bob Costas. In the interview (which garnered significant media attention after its release), Sandusky admitted to making physical contact with minors, but denied being a pedophile or being sexually attracted to minors. Sandusky was released on bail, but was arrested again on December 7 after more charges surfaced. He was released on bail and placed under monitored house arrest until his trial.
Arrest, Trial, and Incarceration[]
Sandusky's eight-day trial finally began on June 11, 2012 and he faced 52 sex charges. Numerous boys testified about the abuse they endured by Sandusky across many years. His defense argued that many of the allegations were financially motivated, as several of the accusers' stories changed and some continued to maintain a smooth relationship with him in spite of the alleged abuse.
Ultimately, the jury found the 68 year-old Sandusky guilty of 45 charges on June 22. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison on October 9. Curley and Schultz were also charged for failing to report Sandusky's abuse. He was housed in several facilities before ending up in SCI Laurel Highlands, where he currently resides. Sandusky continues to maintain his innocence and has expressed interest in a re-trial. Penn State and many of its staff have also faced significant criticism for their failure to take earlier action against Sandusky or report his actions.
One of Sandusky's sons Jeff was arrested in 2017 for sexually assaulting a child and possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to another sex charge and was sentenced to a maximum of six years in prison.
Matt had given an interview to Oprah Winfrey about being chosen for adoption at a camp Sandusky attended before being sexually abused by him repeatedly for years. John Ziegler, one journalist having conducted a prison interview with Sandusky, challenged many of the details Matt gave, an accusation which was met with much criticism in reaction.
Modus Operandi[]
Sandusky usually targeted boys between 8-12 years old without father figures in their homes who went to his charity organization. He would use classic child grooming strategies such as offering trips to football games or bestowing gifts, which would lead to incremental touching. He would often initiate overtly sexual behavior in the locker room showers, but at least some were also abused in his basement. He would sexually abuse his victims in various ways, such as rape by forced oral or anal penetration. One such victim was forced to masturbate Sandusky. He would sometimes repeatedly sexually assault and exploit a specific boy over the course of several years (sometimes routinely). He also offered a contract to a victim saying he would give him money if he continued to spend time with him.
Profile[]
Sandusky was diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder by Dr. Eliot Atkins.
Known Victims[]
Sandusky pictured with several youths, some of whom were his alleged victims.
- Unspecified date: Matt Sandusky (his stepson)
- Unspecified dates in the 1970s-1980s: Three unnamed victims
- Unspecified dates between 1994-2009: Eight unnamed boys
- Unspecified date in 2001: An unnamed boy, 10-12
- Unspecified date: An unnamed boy, 8-10
- Unspecified dates: An unnamed boy, 10 (molested repeatedly for 4 years)
- Unspecified date: An unnamed Penn State student
- Unspecified date: An unnamed boy, 10 (anally raped)
- Unspecified dates between 2007-2008: "Victim 1", 11-12 (was sexually abused over 20 times)
- Unspecified dates: "Victim 4", 13 (a witness in the Second Mile charity; was sexually abused up to 3 times a week for 3 years)
- Unspecified dates: "Victim 9" and "Victim 10", 10-12
On Criminal Minds[]
- Season Two
- "Profiler, Profiled"- While not directly mentioned or referenced in this episode (as his crimes had not come to light), Sandusky is very similar to the episode's unsub, Carl Buford - Both were pedophiles who worked at youth facilities, were praised for their work and considered good people, secretly targeted young boys at their facilities, repeatedly sexually abused them (some repeatedly for several years), had several dozen victims (most of whom remain unidentified), they were active for several decades throughout the late 1900s before finally being apprehended in the 2000s, and their crimes garnered significant media attention. Also, the way Buford accused Morgan of relying on false memories could be a slight nod to Sandusky wanting a new trial based on possible false/repressed memories from his victims. Buford also appeared in Season Eight in the episode "Restoration".
- Season Ten
- "The Boys of Sudworth Place" - Sandusky was mentioned when he was compared to Jack Westbrook, who appears to have been based on him - Both were pedophiles who were widely praised and considered good people, were married and had children, worked at youth facilities, targeted boys who attended them, used child-grooming tactics to get them vulnerable before molesting them repeatedly, their crimes went undetected for over decade, and they denied the accusations made against them after being confronted (though under very different circumstances).