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Street preacher sentenced

PHILADELPHIA — A self-proclaimed street preacher who had a role in kidnapping, torturing and enslaving mentally disabled adults chained up in a filthy basement has been sentenced to 27 years in prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia announced that Eddie “the Reverend Ed” Wright was sentenced Thursday for the scheme that lasted from 2001 to October 2011. He is the second of the five people charged in the case that shocked Philadelphia and the nation to be sentenced this week, after Nicklaus Woodard was also sentenced to 27 years on Tuesday.

“The physical and psychological pain inflicted on the victims can only be described as pure, unadulterated torture,” said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, adding that the sentencings meant “justice has finally been served.”

“Now it’s their turn to be locked away in a dark prison cell,” he said.

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