Dennis Hastert Sentenced to 15 Months, Judge Calls Him 'Serial Child Molester'

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin, who described him as a “serial child molester” during an emotional sentencing hearing. Though Hastert was only charged with illegally structuring bank withdrawals, the judge noted that “some conduct is unforgivable no matter how old it is” while referencing the underlying sexual abuse crimes that were beyond the statute of limitations. Federal prosecutors detailed that Hastert had molested at least five teenage boys, some as young as 14 years old, while serving as a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois during the late 1960s and 1970s.