Mark Salling Death Updates: Actor's Child Pornography Victims to Forfeit Compensation, Sources Claim
Mark Salling's child pornography victims may not get the compensation that they had been told to receive if the former "Glee" star had been convicted.
While Salling's family, friends, and fans are mourning his reported death by suicide, they may not be the only ones grieving as, according to recent reports, the former "Glee" star's child pornography victims may not receive the compensation they were sure of receiving.
Sources claim that it was stipulated in Salling's plea deal last year that he would pay each of his victims $50,000 each in restitution damages. As the star already pleaded guilty to the case, it was almost certain that the victims would be getting the promised amount.
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However, it is said that, in order for the judge to impose the amount as a penalty, Salling had to be convicted first. With Salling committing suicide last January 30, or less than two months before the verdict on his case is released, the judge no longer has the chance to demand payment.
To recall, it was during a 2015 raid on Salling's home when prosecutors found more than 50,000 images and videos of child porn and child erotica on the actor's laptop. His flash memory drive, on the other hand, was discovered to have contained 4,000 pornographic images and 160 videos more.
Last year, Salling pleaded guilty to the case. While the actor said that he is "pleading guilty because I am guilty of the charges," it is believed that the decision was to spare himself from a 20-year sentence and a lifetime of supervised parole. Because of his guilty plea, Salling was expected to serve only between four and seven years in jail.
Meanwhile, Salling's death earlier this week was confirmed by his family. Reportedly, the actor had first gone missing until his body was found hanging in a park near his home in Sunland, California.
"Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected," goes the official statement of Salling's family.
Salling is most remembered for his role as Puck in "Glee."
