In explaining his punishment, the judge called Hastert a “serial child molester.”
Hastert becomes one of the highest ranking politicians in American history sentenced to prison. He pleaded guilty last fall to violating banking law as he sought to pay someone referred to in court papers only as “Individual A” $3.5 million to keep Hastert’s sex abuse secret.
Earlier in the hearing, a former high school athlete who said he was molested by Hastert told the courtroom that he was “devastated” by the abuse.
The man, now in his 50s, said Hastert abused him while they were alone in a locker room. He struggled to hold back tears as he described the incident in detail. In the years since, he said, he has sought professional help and has had trouble sleeping. He said the memory still causes him suffering.
