NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Convicted rapist Brandon Vandenburg was sentenced to 17 years in prison Friday for the 2013 rape of an unconscious woman at a Vanderbilt University dorm.
The sentence, which is two years longer than his co-defendant Cory Batey’s, was decided by Judge Monte Watkins just before noon.
Just before announcing his decision, Judge Watkins called the case “one of the saddest cases” he’s ever seen.
Prior to receiving his sentence, Vandenburg read from a prepared statement, which was was the first time he has spoken publicly about the rape that occurred in his dorm room on June 23, 2013.
The now 23-year-old told the court he was raised better than this and that he was an “inexperienced drinker” when he arrived to Vanderbilt.
“I was living out my dream and in an instant, it all changed,” Vandenburg said.
He also admitted that on the date the rape occurred he had consumed dozens of alcoholic beverages throughout the course of the day.
“I let everyone down and many lives were destroyed,” he said.
Vandenburg was found guilty of five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of unlawful photography this past June.
Prosecutors said in 2013 that Vandenburg carried the woman, who he had been dating, into his dorm room, passed out condoms and took video as three of his teammates raped her.
Vandenburg faced up to 25 years in prison. He has been jailed since his conviction and has since been added to the state’s sex offender registry.