Vick Sentenced to 23 Months

A federal judge in Richmond, Va., today sentenced Michael Vick to 23 months in prison for his part in running a dogfighting ring, Reuters reports. The disgraced NFL quarterback could have been hit with a 5-year term, but prosecutors requested a 12-18 month sentence after Vick changed his plea to guilty. Vick voluntarily began serving his sentence three weeks ago.

Clad in a black-and-white striped prison uniform, Vick softly apologized to the court and his family. “You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you,” the judge responded. Vick was also given three years probation, and has been suspended without pay by the NFL. His former team, the Atlanta Falcons, have filed civil proceedings against him.