Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for Andrea Constand sexual assault

Bill Cosby, who fell from grace as “America’s Dad” to convicted sex offender, was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in state prison. The 81-year-old comedian was convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University women's basketball administrator, who testified Cosby violated her at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 after she came to him for career advice.
Cosby, renowned for his role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," had been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, but was only criminally charged in Constand’s case. Cosby is the first star of his caliber to be convicted of sexual assault in the age of #MeToo.
The actor has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct. He had faced up to 10 years in prison.
Judge Steven O'Neill, the judge presiding over the sentencing hearing, ruled earlier Tuesday that Cosby is a "sexually violent predator.”
Bill Cosby, who fell from grace as “America’s Dad” to convicted sex offender, was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in state prison.

The 81-year-old comedian was convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University women's basketball administrator, who testified Cosby violated her at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 after she came to him for career advice.
Cosby, renowned for his role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," had been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, but was only criminally charged in Constand’s case. Cosby is the first star of his caliber to be convicted of sexual assault in the age of #MeToo.
The actor has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct. He had faced up to 10 years in prison.
Judge Steven O'Neill, the judge presiding over the sentencing hearing, ruled earlier Tuesday that Cosby is a "sexually violent predator.”
Prosecutors asked that Cosby be given five to 10 years in prison and pay a 25,000 fine on top of court costs given that he has allegedly hurt many people and shown no remorse.
"To say he is too old to [go to prison], that he should get a pass because it has taken this long to catch up for what he has done ... what they are asking for is a get out of jail free card," prosecutor Kevin Steele said. "Nobody is above the law. Nobody."
Constand, 45, was given a chance to speak during the sentencing hearing Monday, and addressed the court for less than two minutes, but submitted a victim impact statement that was released Tuesday.
In the statement, Constand said she was “at the top of my game” — physically, professionally and emotionally — before Cosby assaulted her.
“I knew who I was and I liked who I was,” she wrote. But “Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it,” Constand wrote. “He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in my self and others.”