NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge in New Orleans rejected a plea deal on Thursday that would send former NFL player Darren Sharper to prison for roughly nine years, saying the sentence was too lenient for the drug and rape charges against him.
Sharper, 40, is accused of drugging and raping women in four states. As part of a series of plea agreements last year, he pleaded guilty or no contest to charges in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Nevada.
The plea bargains called for the five-time National Football League Pro Bowl safety to serve the 108-month prison sentences concurrently, followed by a lifetime of strict probation and parole requirements.