DETROIT—A sports doctor accused of molesting several girls while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University will plead guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and face at least 25 years in prison, a person with knowledge of the agreement said on Tuesday.
The person was not authorized to publicly discuss the agreement ahead of a Wednesday court hearing for Dr. Larry Nassar in Michigan’s Ingham County and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Nassar, 54, is charged with molesting seven girls, all but one of whom were gymnasts, mostly under the guise of treatment at his Lansing-area home and a campus clinic. He’s facing similar charges in a neighboring county and lawsuits filed by more than 125 women and girls.
Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas are among the women who have publicly said they were among Nassar’s victims.
The plea deal in Ingham County calls for a minimum prison sentence of 25 years, but a judge could set the minimum sentence as high as 40 years. In Michigan inmates are eligible for parole after serving a minimum sentence.
The girls have testified that Nassar molested them with his hands, sometimes when a parent was present in the room, while they sought help for gymnastics injuries.
“He convinced these girls that this was some type of legitimate treatment,” Assistant Attorney General Angela Poviliatis told a judge last summer. “Why would they question him? Why would they question this gymnastics god?”
Separately, Nassar is charged with similar crimes in Eaton County, the location of an elite gymnastics club. He also is awaiting sentencing in federal court on child-pornography charges.
DOUGLAS: I WAS ABUSED
OLYMPIC champion gymnast Gabby Douglas said she is among the group of athletes sexually abused by a former team doctor.
Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion and a three-time gold medalist, wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that she waited so long to reveal the abuse by Larry Nassar because she was part of a group “conditioned to stay silent.”
Douglas included the revelation in an apology for comments made on social media last week that suggested women dress modestly to help prevent abuse. Douglas said her comments, which she later deleted, were taken out of context.
“I didn’t view my comments as victim shaming because I know no matter what you wear, it never gives anyone the right to harass or abuse you,” Douglas wrote.
The 21-year-old Douglas is the latest high-profile gymnast to come forward against Nassar, who spent nearly two decades as the national team doctor for USA Gymnastics before being fired in 2015. Two-time Olympic teammate Aly Raisman wrote about alleged abuse by Nassar in her autobiography “Fierce,” released earlier this month. Two-time Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney disclosed abuse by Nassar in October.
Jamie Dantzscher, a bronze medalist on the 2000 US Olympic team, was part of the initial wave of lawsuits filed against Nassar in 2016 following reporting by the Indianapolis Star that highlighted chronic mishandling of abuse allegations against coaches and staff at some of USA Gymnastics’ more than 3,500 clubs across the country.
Nassar, 54, is accused of molesting several girls while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. He’s facing similar charges in a neighboring Michigan county and lawsuits filed by more than 125 women and girls.
Nassar will plead guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and face at least 25 years in prison, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday.
The person was not authorized to publicly discuss the agreement ahead of a Wednesday court hearing for Nassar in Michigan’s Ingham County and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
USA Gymnastics launched an independent review of its policies in the wake of the allegations against Nassar. In June the gymnastics board adopted the new USA Gymnastics SafeSport Policy that replaced the previous policy. Key updates include mandatory reporting, defining six types of misconduct, setting standards to prohibit grooming behavior, preventing inappropriate interaction and establishing accountability.
The organization also hired Kerry Perry as the organization’s new president and CEO. Perry replaces Steve Penny, who resigned under pressure in March.