Trial by Media: Subway's Jared in Child Porn Investigation

On Tuesday this week, federal agents descended on the Indiana home of Jared Fogle, best known as the Subway pitchman who lost 245 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches. Reports indicate that investigators from the Indiana State Police, the United States Postal Service, and the FBI were searching for evidence in a child pornography investigation.

Although Fogle was not been named as a suspect, and although there is sufficient evidence to believe that the search could be related to allegations against a former co-worker rather than Fogle himself, it took very little time for Subway and other outfits to begin distancing themselves from the former sandwich pitchman.

The same day that Subway said it believed the investigation was related to the arrest of "former Jared Foundation employee," it announced that the restaurant chain was suspending its relationship with Fogle and began scrubbing its website of mentions of Jared.

And Subway isn't the only one backing away from Fogle. Within 24 hours of the raid, the Syfy network announced that Fogle's cameo scenes have been cut from an upcoming broadcast of Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! 

Remember, at this point, Jared Fogle has not been officially named as a suspect, although CBS News is reporting that an unnamed "law enforcement source" has "confirmed" to the news reporting agency that Fogle is a suspect in a child pornography investigation.

According to Fogle's attorney, "Jared has been cooperating, and continues to cooperate, with law enforcement in their investigation of unspecified charges and looks forward to its conclusion. He has not been detained, arrested or charged with any crime or offense."

And while Subway and Syfy are quickly trying to remove themselves as quickly as possible from any connection with child pornography, federal investigators could have reason to check the home of an innocent man in their investigation.

Just two months ago, the executive director of the Jared Foundation--an organization set up to fight childhood obesity--was arrested on child pornography complaints. Russell Taylor is charged with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He attempted suicide after his arrest and was subsequently placed on life support, but officials say his condition is improved and he remains in the custody of U.S. marshals.

So it is possible that the search of Fogle's electronics has nothing to do with Fogle himself, but rather with the search for evidence in Taylor's case. It could be that a depressed Taylor could cast his former employer in a negative light in order to shift blame from himself. It could be that investigators are barking up the wrong tree. Or it could be that Fogle himself is involved in child pornography. Regardless of the outcome, the investigation itself has become a scarlet letter for Jared Fogle, and the media coverage and corporate shunning of Fogle serve as a cautionary tale reminding us that "innocent until proven guilty" does not seem to apply in a trial by media.