Larry Nassar Pleads Guilty To More Sexual Abuse Charges

For the second time this month, former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar has pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct charges. Nassar pleaded guilty today to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in Eaton County, admitting that he sexually abused young teens under the guise of providing medical treatment.

The Eaton County charges were for Nassar’s work at Twistars, a gymnastics club in Dimondale. He previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in Ingham County, as well as federal pornography charges. The Lansing State Journal reported that both Michigan plea deals set the minimum sentencing at “somewhere between 25 and 40 years in prison.”

Unlike last week’s hearing, which was attended by many victims—including Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to step forward and say publicly that Nassar had abused her—the crowd in gallery in the Eaton courthouse was comparatively sparse. The hearing itself was over quickly, lasting less than a half hour.

The victims—if they wish to be—will be present at Nassar’s sentencing, scheduled for Jan. 31, and they will be allowed to speak then. So too will Nassar, who was not given the opportunity to address the court in Eaton as he did last week in Ingham.

But first will come Nassar’s sentencing hearing on his other cases. Next week, Nassar will be sentenced in a Grand Rapids federal court on the federal child pornography charges. His sentencing hearing for the Ingham case is scheduled for Jan. 12.