Larry Nassar and former trainer charged in Károlyi Ranch investigation
Larry Nassar, the 54-year-old disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University physician, has been charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child stemming from the Károlyi Ranch investigation conducted by the Walker County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers.
Debbie Van Horn, a former trainer, was also charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault of a child stemming from this investigation.
Former gymnast Mattie Larson discussed Van Horn in her victim impact statement, which she delivered at Nassar's seven-day January sentencing hearing in Ingham County, Michigan. Here is what she had to say, according to KHOU.
“If a trainer, a professional trainer doesn’t say anything about it, I should trust her. At least, that’s what I thought."
The Károlyi Ranch was the site of the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas before USA Gymnastics cut ties with it in mid-January in the wake of the Nassar scandal. Márta Károlyi and her husband Béla were the former USA Gymnastics national team coordinators and owners of the Károlyi Ranch.
Prior to being charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child stemming from the Károlyi Ranch investigation, Nassar had already been charged with three counts of child pornography and 10 counts of sexual assault.
Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on those three child pornography charges. He is currently serving this sentence at United States Penitentiary, Tucson, which is a maximum-security federal prison in Tucson, Arizona.
Nassar was sentenced on two separate occasions on those 10 sexual assault charges. In January, he was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years in state prison on seven of those 10 sexual assault charges following the aforementioned seven-day sentencing hearing in Ingham County, Michigan.
In February, Nassar was sentenced to between 40 and 125 more years in state prison on the other three of those 10 sexual assault charges following a three-day sentencing hearing in Eaton County, Michigan.
Here is what Walker County assistant district attorney Stephanie Stroud had to say about the Károlyi Ranch investigation, according to USA Today.
“We are bound by the law, but that in no way means there was no wrongdoing at the ranch or within the ranks of USAG. It is our belief that there was a total failure by USAG to protect the athletes that were part of their program, and to take appropriate action once they were made aware of Dr. Nassar’s actions.
“If we get other information and we gain access to records and things, there may be other charges.”
Here is what Walker County district attorney David Weeks had to say about Nassar being charged with six more counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child stemming from the Károlyi Ranch investigation, according to USA Today.
“It’s the right thing to do. Because these victims deserve to be heard. Because they deserve justice.”
Here is what USA Gymnastics said in a statement regarding Károlyi Ranch investigation, according to USA Today.
"USA Gymnastics supports and is fully cooperating with the investigations by the Texas Rangers, Congress and others, and we will continue do so.