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March 13 (UPI) -- Penn State's ex-athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz plead guilty Monday to misdemeanor child endangerment. The duo admitted guilt for their roles in covering up Jerry Sandusky's child molestation scandal, according to reports. The scandal plagued the university more than five years ago and resulted in the dismissal of coach Joe Paterno.
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Curley, 62, and Shultz, 67, could see up to five years in prison. No sentencing date has been announced. The deal meant that prosecutors dropped three felony charges. Those charges were for child endangerment and conspiracy and carried up to seven years apiece.
Graham Spanier, the former president of the University, was also charged in the case.
In 2001, a graduate assistant notified the trio of a complaint when he said he watched Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in the team showers. They did not report the matter to legal authorities.
Sandusky was arrested and convicted in 2012 on charges for molesting 10 boys. He is in prison for 30 to 60 years. Paterno died in 2012 from lung cancer. He was never charged in the case.
Penn State has paid $93 million in settlements to 33 people who claimed they were abused by Sandusky.
Curley and Shultz were arrested in 2011. Spanier was booked in 2012.
"There is no provision of the agreement that would limit my ability to impose sentence as I see fit," senior judge John Boccabella said, via PennLive.
Monday's case specifically related to when former assistant coach Mike McQueary said that he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in a shower at Penn State in 2001. McQueary reportedly told Paterno what he saw. Paterno then told Curley, according to reports.
The NCAA fined Penn State $48 million. The university now finances anti-child abuse efforts in Pennsylvania, according to reports.
