Jack Dillon Young, 21, of Leakey, Texas, was sentenced after pleading no contest on May 31 to 13 counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault.
He had faced up to 270 years in prison after a three-day sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors said Young was driving his pick-up while under the influence of a prescription sedative and had smoked marijuana before colliding with a church bus in March 2017 near Uvalde, about 75 miles west of San Antonio.
Defence lawyer Rogelio Munoz asked for mercy and said doctors did not properly monitor Young's prescription drug use.
Young's family members testified that the family was rendered dysfunctional by alcohol and drug abuse.
Members of the First Baptist Church comfort each other after hearing about the tragedy
Young told state District Judge Camile DuBose that a man was sentenced to a lengthy prison term for sexually abusing him and numerous other boys.
Young testified that he had struggled since that episode with mental and emotional trauma, contemplating suicide and taking prescription anti-anxiety medication as well as self-medicating with marijuana and alcohol.
"You can never get the feeling of dirtiness off of you," he said.
The occupants of the bus into which Young's pick-up truck slammed head-on were members of the First Baptist Church of New Braunfels returning from a senior retreat. Young told relatives of those killed that he wished he could ease their pain.
"They were beautiful people, beautiful families, and I wish every day that it was me" who died, he said.
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.
