Ex-Michigan State Dean William Strampel Convicted After Larry Nassar Scandal

Former Michigan State University dean William Strampel was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of neglect of duty for his lack of oversight of Larry Nassar and misconduct in office related to student allegations of sexual harassment, according to the Associated Press.

Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State doctor, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault, sexual assault of minors and child pornography.

Strampel was facing up to five years of prison time after being accused of using "his public office to sexually harass, demean and proposition students who met with him to discuss academic issues," per that report, though he was acquitted on the most serious charges he was facing. 

A number of former medical students said Strampel made "sexual comments and innuendo" during meetings and "accused him of staring at their breasts." And his work computer contained pictures of "nude and semi-nude young women with Michigan State logo piercings or clothing," according to investigators.

"Why was he so confident he could get away with it?" said Michigan State student Leah Jackson, who testified that Strampel made sexual remarks to her. "It makes me wonder how many other people he had done this to. He was supposed to protect us and he chose to betray us."

"While Mr. Strampel's sentence will never give back the years of pain and suffering his victims had to endure, the persistence of these courageous survivors made certain that he could no longer hide behind the title he once held to escape the reach of justice," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel added in a statement.

He was also convicted for knowingly failing to uphold protocols in place regarding Nassar, which required "a third person be present in the exam room for sensitive procedures and limiting skin-to-skin contact."

Over 150 women and girls testified that they were sexually assaulted by Nassar while he was a team doctor for the U.S. Olympic and Michigan State gymnastics teams.