AP Photo/Seth WenigWelcome to the Hall Shame.
NFL all-timer and onetime Dancing With the Stars contestant Lawrence Taylor narrowly escaped jailtime on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a lesser count stemming from his 2010 rape arrest.
But Taylor is still getting a big black mark on his permanent record.
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, the famed footballer copped to misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct and soliciting a prostitute. In return, he was sentenced by a judge in Rockland County New York to six years probation.
He'll also now be required to spend the rest of his life registered as a convicted sex offender.
In meting out Taylor's punishment, Judge William Kelly did not specify which level of the sex-offender registry the linebacker would be on: Level 1 would mean both his name and address would be listed; Level 2 would also include his mug shot. A hearing has been scheduled for that on April 12.
For the duration of his probation, Taylor must meet with a drug and alcohol counselor and be subjected to a curfew that will require him to be in his house by 1 a.m. and unable to leave until 5 a.m.
The former Giant managed to avoid the more serious charges of rape in the third degree as well as human trafficking, though prosecutor Arthur Ferraro said today's proceedings would send a clear warning to those that "create a market" for human trafficking.
Taylor attended the hearing but did not issue any comment. However, his attorney seemed pleased by the outcome. Addressing reporters afterwards, Arthur Aidala said that there are "no probation conditions placed on Mr. Taylor that are going to have any material effect on his life whatsoever."
But the victim is still looking for some revenge.
Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred was on hand, representing the now-17-year-old girl at the center of case, whose identity has been withheld because of her age.
Allred blasted Team Taylor for painting her client as a prostitute, called out the court for not allowing a victim's impact statement to be read during sentencing and labeled the plea agreement a travesty of justice.
"Lawrence Taylor should be in a Hall of Shame. Not in the Hall of Fame," she said at a post-court press conference. "My client, the 16-year-old victim, was not a prosttitue when she met Mr. Taylor. She was instead a 16-year-old girl who refused to have sex for money...the only reason she went to his [hotel] room is...because she was afraid she'd be hit [by her would-be pimp]."
"Both the victim and I feel that it is very unfair that Mr. Taylor is only receiving probation for the crime. We believe he had many clues that his victim was under 18."
The girl then read a statement to reporters gathered outside the courthouse, denying she was a prostitute, claiming Taylor took "something precious" from her and expressing her disappointment at the sentencing.
Aidala responded that the girl is being victimized all over again by Allred for insisting she make the public statement when the D.A. and defense went to great lengths to shield her identity so she could get on with her life.
"It's a disgrace," the lawyer said, adding that he expects Allred to hit Taylor with a civil suit by end of the court day.
Leave it to the lawyers to put on a show.