Convicted rapist and former NFL star Darren Sharper was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday for drugging and raping two women in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Multiple women across the country have accused Sharper of sexual assault, and Tuesday’s sentence is part of a plea deal he reached last year to help resolve sexual assault cases that have been filed against him in multiple states.
When Sharper was arrested by Los Angeles authorities on suspicion of sexual assault in January 2014, women in other cities came forward to accuse him of similar attacks. Sharper pleaded no contest in March 2015 to the L.A. charges.
Sharper has been convicted of drugging and raping nine women in Los Angeles, Nevada, Arizona and Louisiana. According to the Times, in August a federal judge in New Orleans sentenced Sharper to more than 18 years for the attacks and said that a federal presentencing report indicated there were 16 victims.
One of Sharper’s victims spoke in court at his sentencing hearing.
“I can only imagine myself lying there like a vegetable while he took advantage of my body without my permission,” the victim said. “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?’”
Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor said, “I dare say that I cannot speak more eloquently or passionately about the horrible misconduct of Mr. Sharper and the unfathomable effect he has had on the two alleged victims. I think their individual statements speak volumes as to this disgraceful abuse of trust and the behavior of Mr. Sharper.”
Sharper’s sentence in L.A. is to be served at the same time as the others around the country.
Read more at the Los Angeles Times.