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Ohio State Scandal: Tattoo Parlor Owner Receives Three-Year Sentence

Edward Rife, the man who owned the now-infamous tattoo parlor that led to the demise of Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Football program - at least in the short term - received a three-year prison sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost.  

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Rife has asked for leniency but Judge Frost felt he needed to send a message with the sentence.

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"This is a terrible offense," Frost said. "There's no getting around it."

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Rife was the owner of Fine Line Ink Tattoos and Body Piercings in Columbus and was the alleged operator of a lucrative drug ring, selling hundreds of pounds of marijuana.  While investigating Rife on those suspicions, it was discovered that several Ohio State football players, including Pryor, had received cash and discounted tattoos from Rife in exchange for Buckeye memorabilia.

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That discovery led to the downfall of both head coach Jim Tressel and Pryor, now a quarterback with the Oakland Raiders.  Ohio State has already vacated all their wins from 2010, including their 31-26 win over Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl.  The school is still awaiting final punishment from the NCAA

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Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.