Former Olympic Gymnastics Doctor Indicted On Federal Child Pornography Charges

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – A federal grand jury indicted Lawrence Gerard Nassar on federal child pornography charges. As recently as last year, Nassar was a physician for the U.S. Gymnastics Team. The grand jury alleges in the indictment that Nassar received and attempted to receive child pornography in 2004, and that he possessed thousands of images of child pornography between February of 2003 and September of 2016. If convicted of both of these charges, Nassar faces a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years of imprisonment, and up to lifetime supervised release after release from custody.

          Nassar appeared in federal court to hear the charges against him on Friday, December 16, 2016. A hearing on whether he should receive bond pending trial is pending. The federal investigation that led to the charges is ongoing. Anyone with information about additional child pornography offenses, or criminal sexual conduct Dr. Nassar may have committed outside Michigan or abroad, should contact the Detroit FBI Office at (313) 965-2323. Anyone with information about alleged sexual assaults Dr. Nassar committed within the State of Michigan should contact Michigan State University Police at 844-99-MSUPD (67873).

          The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Michigan State University Police Department (MSUPD), and this case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney's Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.

          The charges in the indictment are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the government has the burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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