Erin Andrews's Stalker Gets 30 Months

(AP)  An Illinois businessman who secretly shot nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.

Michael Barrett, a 48-year-old Chicago-area insurance executive, pleaded guilty in December to interstate stalking after prosecutors accused him of shooting the videos through hotel peepholes in three cities, including Columbus, Ohio, and posting them online.

He was sentenced Monday in a federal court in Los Angeles after he made a tearful apology.

Read Crimesider Coverage of Erin Andrews Case

Barrett of suburban Chicago agreed to a 27-month prison sentence after pleading guilty.

But Andrews called him a sexual predator and angrily argued in court for him to be sentenced for as long as the law allows.

Andrews works as a sideline reporter for ESPN's game telecasts. She will also appear on the new season of ABC-TV's "Dancing with the Stars."

The reporter who repeatedly called her stalker a sexual predator in court and said she hopes he "never sees the light of day."

"His actions have had a devastating impact on me and family," said Andrews, who attended the hearing with her father and attorney.

Barrett admitted renting hotel rooms next to Andrews three times and shooting two videos of her while she was naked. He was accused of posting the videos online and trying to sell them to Los Angeles-based celebrity gossip site TMZ this year.

[CBSTV]

Prison is not necessarily the best answer for nonviolent crime. Confining a human to a tiny room for months on end makes people worse, not better.

[ajapierce]

I think that they should be giving longer jail terms. But the problem is there is very little space in Jails. And unless they serverly harm or kill someone they won't get a long jail sentence.

Keeping someone in jail is expensive business. Keeping them on the right track and employeed saves the taxpayers $45,000 / year per prisoner. People have to think about it that way. Unless it's a prison in Texas, in that case, the toughest prison warden pays the county back $4,500 a prisoner instead of using public funds.

We need more jails that make people work their butts off so that it's make it cheaper to keep them there.

I don't fully agree with people stalking people. But CBS News, CNN and MSN only like to point out Male Stalkers and not female Stalkers. A lot of NFL players have female stalkers, and not you cute skinny pampered girls either. It's a double-standard in their reporting.

People need to be taught more responsibility for their actions. Like here for example, 30-months is not really a prison term. But on top of that 10-15 years of probation should of be added, along with community service.

That would help most people to reconsider, perhaps a little bit of counseling wouldn't hurt either. A lot cheaper then keeping them in jail. Plus, when they are in jail, they don't help, so once they get out it's the same old story.

[Farver4girls]

I feel that the sentence was too short. The man is a stalker and a peeping Tom. He should have been locked up for at least 10 years to protect Erin and other women from him.

[AnnieDanny]

Seems like a very light sentence considering how bad his actions were. Not only stalking her, photographing her thru very devious means but THEN posting the videos online where they will never go away entirely. Totally creepy guy. Does he go on the sex offender list for doing this? I hope so.

[run2jazz2]

That is a deterent!

[jt92202]

I think it's great that they have givin him time in jail but do you have to be a reporter or star to get the judges to give time more than a week or a few days? Here in Washington we have had 2 murdered women by their stalkers in the past year (more like 6 months). Last one was about 2 weeks ago, he was held in jail for a week or so and the day after he was let out he went to the school she was a teacher at and killed her in the parking lot before school. The one about 6 months ago, same story different school only difference was this one the man and woman were boyfriend girlfriend at some point but the first one the guy was a very long time friend that wanted more!

Stalkers need more jail time and should be watched closely! Why do the victims always have to move or die?!!

[culturechang]

Good, now we can, hopefully, stop hearing about it. But I dont Andrews will stop whining about it.