Admitted serial rapist and former National Football League champion Darren Sharper has been transferred from federal prison to a halfway house program as his projected 2028 release date draws nearer.
In a statement to the Guardian on Monday, a US Bureau of Prisons (BoP) spokesperson confirmed that Sharper, aged 50, was moved on 27 May from a federal correctional institution near Elkton, Ohio, to "community confinement" overseen by the agency's residential re-entry management office in Baltimore.
The spokesperson explained that the transfer in Sharper's case means he is either in home confinement or residing at a residential re-entry center, a facility commonly referred to as a halfway house.
Specific details about Sharper's exact location were not immediately available. The BoP has previously stated that it does not disclose the precise locations of individuals in community confinement for privacy, safety, and security reasons.
Sharper pleaded guilty or no contest in 2015 and 2016 in local courts in Louisiana, California, Nevada, and Arizona to charges that he had drugged and raped—or attempted to rape—numerous women across those four states. He also entered a guilty plea in New Orleans' federal courthouse for conspiring to carry out the drugging and rape scheme.
The case garnered significant attention from national and sports media at the time, largely because Sharper had won a Super Bowl championship with the New Orleans Saints in February 2010. The defensive standout from Richmond, Virginia, also led the NFL in pass interceptions in two of his 14 seasons in the league before retiring in 2011. He earned prestigious first-team All-Pro selections in each of those seasons.
Following his series of guilty pleas, federal judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced Sharper to 18 years in prison in August 2016, granting him credit for time already served in custody since his initial arrest in February 2014.
At his sentencing, Sharper expressed apologies "a thousand times" for his acknowledged actions, while one of his victims bluntly told him to "go to hell."
According to government officials, many individuals sentenced to federal prison become eligible for release after serving approximately 85% of their sentences, and they can effectively reduce that percentage by completing certain programs while incarcerated.
Being placed in a halfway house program is a clear indication that an inmate is nearing the end of their sentence. Residents of halfway houses are generally required to find employment and may be permitted to drive or use a cellphone for work purposes. In addition to being moved to confinement in a private residence, they can also receive recreational passes.
Two co-defendants of Sharper who also pleaded guilty were Erik Nunez, a former steakhouse waiter, and Brandon Licciardi, a former deputy from a suburban New Orleans sheriff's office. Nunez completed his sentence in July 2023, and Licciardi followed in April 2024.
Sharper's projected release date as of Monday was listed as 27 December 2028.
Prior to his transfer to a halfway house, Sharper's attorneys had argued to Judge Milazzo that he deserved consideration for an earlier release from his sentence, citing his completion of numerous educational classes during imprisonment and his overall conduct as a "model inmate." Among other points, they maintained that release from prison would allow Sharper "to finally receive treatment for traumatic brain injuries and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) disease developed from his years playing football."
The disease mentioned by Sharper's attorneys, which shares similarities with Alzheimer's disease, has been linked to repetitive blows to the head and concussions in athletes such as football players.
In August, Milazzo denied Sharper's request for a sentence reduction, according to court filings.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
