Larry Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison today by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina for 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The sentence came down following the seventh day of victim impact statements in the Ingham County, Mich., courtroom, after 156 women spoke in open court about the damage done by Nassar’s serial sexual abuse of them, done under the guise of providing them with medical treatment. Nassar, who already is serving time in prison after pleading guilty on child pornography charges, will have this sentenced added on to the 60 years he is currently already serving in federal prison. If he somehow ever gets out, he’ll have to register as a sex offender.
“Your decision to assault was calculated, precise, devious, despicable,” Aquilina said. “You played on everyone’s vulnerability. I’m not vulnerable.”
“You do not deserve to walk outside a prison again,” she added. “I just signed your death warrant.”
Nassar was a prominent doctor for decades within both USA Gymnastics and the Michigan State athletics department, where he provided medical treatment to collegiate athletes and Olympic champions. Throughout his career, he took advantage of his position to sexually abuse more than a hundred women and young girls, at times even with their parents in the room.
Despite multiple complaints by victims, nothing was done. Nassar’s abuse lasted for decades, with victims who say they were abused as far back as the early 1990s, and at ages as young as six years old. Even after a criminal investigation by Michigan State police, the abuse continued, and Nassar remained employed.
Nassar was let go by USA Gymnastics in July 2015, and finally fired by Michigan State in September 2016, after reporting by the Indianapolis Star set off a wave of women coming forward speaking out about what Nassar had done.
“There has to be a massive investigation as to why there was inaction, why there was silence,” Judge Aquilina said. “Justice requires more than what I can do on this bench.”
Today’s sentencing is not expected to be Nassar’s last appearance in a Michigan courtroom. He still is charged with three additional counts of criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County, for which he’s already pleaded guilty. He’s scheduled to be sentenced for those crimes on Jan. 31.