Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was sentenced to 18 months' probation and fined just over $1,000 Tuesday for two misdemeanors stemming from an incident at the apartment of a staff member with whom he had engaged in an inappropriate relationship.
Last month, Moore pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device involving a domestic relationship in exchange for dropping more serious charges, including a felony.
"I don't believe, when I look at the entirety of this situation, that incarceration should be appropriate," District Court Judge Cedric Simpson said during Tuesday's sentencing in Washtenaw County Court. "I warn you Mr. Moore, should there be a violation, all bets are off. I don't like sending people to jail, but I don't have a problem doing it."
Simpson took time to note that he appreciated the situation that the staff member was in that day.
"Frankly Mr. Moore, you had no right to do what you did," Simpson said. "I know she was placed in fear. It was a traumatic experience for you -- it was certainly a traumatic experience for her -- but you had no right to spread your pain to her."
Moore, who was accompanied to the sentencing by his wife, Kelli, was also barred from using drugs or alcohol, possessing firearms or having any contact with the woman. He was also ordered to continue counseling.
Before sentencing, Simpson took time to praise prosecutors for dropping initial charges, including stalking, because it didn't "in good faith" stand up to additional facts that came out in the investigation. That included calls to and from Moore and the woman and the fact that she had given Moore the code to her door.
"The people could have just decided to proceed with this case and let the chips fall where they may," Simpson said. "... Instead, they did the right thing. ... The criminal charges that Mr. Moore would have been guilty to, he pled to. No more, no less."
The malicious use of a telecommunications device charge could have resulted in up to six months in jail, but even before Simpson's explanation, any amount of incarceration was unexpected.
Simpson said he was especially moved by the support of Kelli Moore, particularly in her recorded discussions with police that day, with babies making noise in the background.
"The person who is saving you from the full wrath of this court is the person who you betrayed," Simpson said. "When all of the circumstances are happening to her, and she is absorbing them in real time, she not once loses her focus, not once bats an eye to doubt you, not once wants something terrible to happen to you. As I listened to the terror in her voice that day, I don't think there would be anybody in the world who would have blamed her from saying, 'I am done here.'
"I am amazed by you Ms. Moore," Simpson added. "I don't know where it comes from. If we had more people like you in the world, I may be out of a job, but the world would be a better place."
In a brief statement to the court before sentencing, Moore thanked Jesus, his attorney and "my beautiful wife Kelli for her support and strength to stand by me." He then told Judge Simpson, "I've taken this process very seriously."
Ellen Michaels, Moore's attorney, told Simpson that since the incident, Moore has entered therapy and rededicated his life and commitment to his family
"This is a man who is not defined by this moment, but how he has responded to it," Michaels said, arguing for probation.
Moore, 40, was abruptly fired by Michigan earlier on Dec. 10 after the 32-year-old staff member told the university that the two had been involved in a relationship the school determined violated his contract. She had broken off the relationship two days prior.
Moore responded by driving to the woman's apartment and confronting her. The woman told police that the married father of three grabbed a butter knife and threatened to harm himself.
After leaving the apartment, Moore was taken into custody in the parking lot of a local church after his wife called police saying he was a threat to himself. On body camera video, Moore did not deny the relationship to police, but he was adamant he neither broke into the apartment nor threatened the woman.
Originally charged with two separate misdemeanors and one felony, Moore reached a plea deal with local prosecutors last month. His no contest plea was treated as guilty by Simpson but, for potential civil lawsuit purposes, does not represent an admission of guilt.
The woman, through her attorney, publicly identified herself following the plea deal, accusing the University of Michigan of failing to protect her from what she deemed "years of manipulation, harassment, and exploitation" by Moore.
Her employment contract with Michigan was not renewed this offseason. In late December, Michigan hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to replace Moore.
The sentencing concludes the criminal aspect of one of football's great falls from grace. Just over four months ago, and just two miles down the road from the courthouse, Moore was in charge of the historic Wolverines program, preparing the team for a bowl game and earning over $5 million per year.
Moore coached the Wolverines for two seasons before his dismissal. He previously served as the team's offensive coordinator during the 2023 national championship season.
Earlier last fall, Michigan conducted an investigation into Moore and the woman, who served as his personal assistant, but both parties denied the relationship. In November, it contracted with the Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block to further investigate.
It has since commissioned the firm to conduct a thorough review into the practices and culture of the athletic department following a series of scandals.
That report is expected this spring, university sources told ESPN.
