A former USA Gymnastics doctor and associate professor at Michigan State University has been indicted on child porn charges.
Larry Nassar had been arrested by the FBI in Ingham County, according to documents unsealed in federal court on Friday.
Nassar is accused of receiving and distributing images of child pornography.
37,000 images of child pornography were found on computer disks, electronic files and other materials. Images included children under the age of 12. Video was also discovered showing Nassar sexually assaulting minors.
Last month, Nassar was arraigned in Ingham County’s 55th District Court on three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13.
The 53-year-old was well known for his work as an associate professor at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and as the team doctor for USA Gymnastics through four Olympic games.
His legal troubles started earlier this year with two complaints independent of the charges.
A former gymnast filed a police complaint at Michigan State University against Nassar. She said she was treated by him when she was a teenage gymnast. She said he sexually assaulted her.
Another anonymous gymnast filed a lawsuit in California. The suit said the gymnast received treatment as a medal winning Olympic competitor. It suit accuses Dr. Nassar of sexual abuse. It says he performed bogus treatments that involved vaginal penetration.
The lawsuit said,"The Perpetrator (NASSAR) told Plaintiffabout the need to do an “intravaginal adjustment,” a fictitious guise where the Perpetrator (NASSAR) would digitally penetrate Plaintiff’s vagina in order to adjust her bones. This “intravaginal adjustment” was done without gloves, lubricant, and/or a chaperone, and was done for the Perpetrator’s (NASSAR) own sexual gratification."
After news broke of that suit and complaint numerous other people came forward to police. One of them is the “Jane Doe” connected to the new charges.
Nassar was arraigned an 3 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a child.
“These are allegations and charges involving a minor who was 6-12 years old at the time. She is now an adult,” said Angela Povilaitis, a prosecuting attorney with The Michigan Attorney General’s Office.
The alleged criminal sexual conduct happened between 1998 and 2005 at Dr. Nassar’s home near Lansing. The girl was not a gymnast.
Dr. Nassar’s defense attorney said she is waiting to find out who the accuser is, but that the fact the alleged incident happened at Dr. Nassar’s home doesn’t mean she wasn’t a patient.
"Dr. Nassar was the kind of doctor you could call and say I am in pain. I need help. He would say stop by. I will treat you real quickly and get you out the door. That is exactly what he did over and over again as favors to his patients,” said Shannon Smith, Dr. Nassar’s defense attorney.
Smith says this is all a misunderstanding. She says Dr. Nassar performed a unique medical treatment that involved penetration but was not sexual.
“Dr. Nassar was doing manipulative techniques that involved penetration,” said Smith. “He showed the police the videos of him doing those techniques. We are uncertain if the patients are confused, if they don’t know what was done to them, or if the media has mislead them to believe something nefarious was done,” said Smith.
Investigators say more than forty people have come forward and said they experienced this “treatment” or “criminal sexual conduct.” It is unknown whether there will be more charges filed.
