Mark Salling, who played Noah "Puck" Puckerman on Glee until 2015, has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, according to People. They further report that as part of a plea deal, he will be looking at a recommended sentence of between four and seven years in prison. Had his case gone to trial, he could have faced up to 20 years in prison.
Additionally, Salling must also register as a sex offender, which comes with an extensive set of restrictions. He must not have "verbal or electronic contact with anyone under the age of 18; stay 100 feet away from schools, parks, public swimming pools, youth centers, playgrounds and arcades; and pay $50,000 in restitution to each victim," People reports, though Deadline specifies that restitution is only required to be provided to victims who requested it. He is also required to enter a treatment program.
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This is not Salling's first brush with sexually-based offenses. In 2013, he was accused of sexual battery by an ex-girlfriend. She sued the Glee star, and the case was latter settled out of court. The victim later pressed criminal charges. In the police report, the victim details rape and sexual assault, as well as transmission of sexually-transmitted infections. The charges were later dropped for insufficient evidence, due the crime having occurred four years earlier. At the time she pressed charges, the state of California was eliminating its ten-year statute of limitations on sexual assault, in part due to the large number of victims that came forward to accuse Bill Cosby of rape.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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