chicago former u.s. house speaker dennis hastert one country powerful politicians sentence wednesday 15 months federal prison financial crime relate sexual abuse high school wrestlers coach decades ago u.s. district court judge thomas durkin call hastert serial sex abuser hand sentence long zero six months recommend federal prosecutors durkin say sentence would even long hastert age 74 poor health frail cling walker hastert apologize sexually abuse boys teacher coach hometown yorkville sorry hurt mislead want apologize boys mistreat hastert tell durkin two-hour sentence hear federal court chicago judge ask acknowledge sexual abuse victims hastert say hastert longest-serving republican house speaker history successful international lobbyist earn 75,000 month plead guilty last october crime structure involve withdraw large sum money small increments avoid detection need cash reach secret agreement one five sexual abuse victims pay 3.5 million compensation pain suffer judge say even though hastert could charge sex abuse statute limitations run could take conduct consideration sentence conduct unforgivable matter old abuse 40 years ago damage last today durkin say hastert defense ask probation-only sentence argue shame humiliation punishment enough portrait remove capitol seat u.s. congress alma mat wheaton college strip name public policy center nothing stun word serial child molester speaker house sentence durkin acknowledge say extremely aggravate factor sentence hastert lie federal agents money falsely claim victim extort say hastert must serve two years probation go sex-offender treatment release also pay 250,000 fine scott cross 53 one hastert victims jolene burdge sister another victim decease speak hear coward mr. hastert burdge say tell truth misconduct sexual abuse minor cross first victim ever speak publicly abuse choke describe hastert molest wrestle locker room 1972 17-year-old boy devastate tell judge try figure coach hastert single felt alone tremendously embarrass hastert conservative trumpet honesty small-town value washington d.c. say contest cross statement defense say former politician forget incident 1972 even approach cross old brother tom cross former illinois house republican leader ask write letter support judge sex abuse victim receive money hastert name publicly monday use name jam doe sue hastert 1.8 million say receive 1.7 million promise compensation hastert bail pending sentence room report federal prison get medical treatment suffer life-threatening blood infection last year ex-house speaker hastert get 15 months admit sex abuse