Disgraced former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle has filed more court papers in his bid for freedom, contending that the judge in the case should be required to recuse herself in part because she has two teenage daughters.
In papers filed by Fogle himself, the one-time fast food icon contends that there is the probability of actual bias on the judge’s part, writing, “Judge Tanya Walton Pratt is a mother of (2) teenage daughters.”
Fogle continues, “this court clearly has demonstrated objective bias, and subjective bias is evident as well.”
Fogle is currently serving more than 15 years for conspiracy to receive child pornography and traveling to have sex with a minor.
According to court papers obtained by TheWrap at the time, Fogle agreed in 2015 to plead guilty to “distributing and receiving visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct” and traveling “in interstate commerce to engage in unlawful commercial sexual acts with minors, and attempted to do so.”
Fogle came under suspicion after the May 2015 arrest of Russell Taylor, then-executive director of Fogle’s charity, The Jared Foundation.
Court documents stated that Fogle received multiple images of minors engaged in sex acts from Taylor and knew that those depicted were under 18. Taylor was accused of filming the minors without their knowledge, using a series of hidden cameras in his home. Some of those depicted were reportedly as young as six-years-old.
Fogle was also accused of traveling multiple times to New York with the purpose of engaging in a sex act with a minor.
Last month, Judge Pratt shot down Fogle’s bid to be released from prison. Fogle had contended, among other things, that there were jurisdictional issues in the case against him.
However, in an order issued Friday, Pratt shot down Fogle’s bid.
“Fogle again challenges the Court’s subject matter jurisdiction over him and requests immediate release from detention,” Pratt’s order read. “The Motion, Notices and Objections are all DENIED.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.