LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson has been sentenced to a minimum of 9 years in prison for his part in a botched heist to recover sports mementoes from memorabilia dealers in Las Vegas in September 2007.

Watch Entire Simpson Sentencing

Co-defendant Clarence "CJ" Stewart was sentenced to a minimum of 7.5 years in prison, with a maximum of 27 years.

The maximum time Simpson could face is 33 years in prison. Court officials said Simpson could be eligible for parole after nine years.

Clark County Judge Jackie Glass ruled Simpson cannot be freed on bail pending possible appeal in the case.

Before he was sentenced, Simpson told the judge he was sorry, confused and apologetic to the people of the state of Nevada, as he appeared to choke back tears.

Simpson said over the years, he had called police about items stolen from him that he had seen for sale, but this was the first opportunity he had to find out who was selling his things. He said the items he went to retrieve included his ex-wife's ring, which he had given to his daughter.

Simpson told the judge he did not mean to hurt anyone or steal from anyone. He said he just wanted to move his personal things out of the room.

Glass said his actions amounted to “much more than stupidity.” She said the fact that guns were in the hotel room meant a tourist or worker could have been hurt or killed. Glass said in the state of Nevada, it is illegal to take back your own property by force.

She also said the fact that the entire event was taped hurt Simpson's credibility. Glass said the party held after the heist included joking and Simpson referring to the Goldmans as the "Goldiggers."

The former football star who ran through airports in rental car ads and walked away a free man after a celebrated murder trial in Los Angeles faces a Las Vegas judge who could give him up to life in prison.

A jury in Las Vegas found Simpson and Stewart guilty Oct. 3 of all 12 charges against them -- including kidnapping, armed robbery and other felonies.

The case stems from a botched attempt to recover sports mementoes and personal items from two memorabilia dealers in September 2007.

Simpson and Stewart faced mandatory prison time -- at least six years, or up to life -- from Glass.

She has a reputation for being a tough sentencing judge. At a hearing Thursday, Glass denied convicted killer and former professional bodybuilder Craig Titus' bid for a reduced sentence, saying Titus should have been aware that she had the discretion to sentence him to more than 17 years after Titus pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his role in the death of his personal assistant. In August, Glass sentenced Titus to 21 to 55 years in prison.

Glass had a recommendation from state parole and probation officials that the 61-year-old Simpson and 54-year-old Stewart serve a minimum of 18 years.

Fifteen raffle tickets were awarded to spectators who waited in line Friday morning to see the sentencing. Among two of those who received tickets to see the sentencing were Fred and Kim Goldman, parents of Ronald Goldman, whose killing Simpson was acquitted of in his Los Angeles trial.

Glass said the sentence had nothing to do with Simpson's 1995 acquittal in the slaying of his ex-wife and her friend in L.A.