Feb. 5 (UPI) — Larry Nassar, the former Team USA gymnastics doctor accused of abusing over 260 women and girls, was sentenced Monday to another 40 to 125 years in prison.
The sentence in Michigan’s Eaton County Court marks the final proceeding against the former Olympic gymnastics and Michigan State University physician, and the end of criminal cases against him.
Before he was sentenced, Nassar apologized for his actions.
“The words expressed by everyone…have impacted me to my innermost core,” he said. “The visions of your testimonies will forever be present in my thoughts.”
Eaton County Court Judge Janice Cunningham told Nassar, however, that she didn’t believe he was remorseful about his crimes — which involved sexual abuse of young women and girls disguised as medical treatments.
“I’m not convinced that you truly understand that what you did was wrong and the devastating impact you have had on the victims, their families and friends,” Cunningham said. “You are in denial. You don’t get it.”
“You are a doctor and you took an oath to do no harm, but you harmed more than 250 young women. You will spend the rest of your life in prison, left with the memories of destroying your family and so many others around you.”
The charges in Eaton County are related to sexual abuse that occurred at Twistars gym, where Nassar worked for years.
“This nice-guy doctor thrived at a place like Twistars, where cruel, harsh and abusive coaches were the norm,” Assistant Attorney General Angie Povilaitis said.
“This grown adult man took sexual pleasure in the exploitation and humiliation of those young girls and teenagers. Not only did he commit those depraved acts of penetration but he liked it.”
Monday’s sentence comes after Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years at Ingram County Circuit Court in Lansing, Mich., on seven separate counts of criminal sexual conduct, a first-degree felony.
