Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 young girls, including members of the US Olympic team, was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Thursday for child pornography. Nassar, 54, who is facing sentencing next month for separate sexual assault charges, pleaded guilty in July to three counts of possessing child pornography.
He was given the maximum 20 years in prison on each count by US District Judge Janet Neff at a court hearing in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday, US media reported. He has demonstrated that he should never again have access to children,” Judge Neff was quoted by the local Lansing State Journal newspaper as saying. You have to wonder whether he felt he was omnipotent, whether he felt he was getting away with something so cleverly,” she added. Nassar, who was brought into court in handcuffs, told the judge that he was ashamed of his actions and had lost everything, the Journal said.
Nassar, who worked at Michigan State University in addition to USA Gymnastics, was found to be in possession of more than 37,000 graphic videos and images of child pornography. He has pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault in two other cases in Michigan, admitting that he abused young athletes under the guise of offering medical treatment. Olympic gold medalists McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas are among the members of the USA Gymnastics team who have said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar.
