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Former Michigan State dean arrested for sexual misconduct

William Strampel allegedly had pornography on a work computer, including footage of Nassar sexually assaulting a patient.

Credit: Mark Cunningham/Getty Images
Credit: Mark Cunningham/Getty Images

Police in Michigan arrested William Strampel, a former dean at Michigan State University who was Larry Nassar’s boss, on Monday evening. He faces four charges, including a felony charge of misconduct by a public official and a fourth-degree criminal sexual misconduct charge.

According to Michigan State Police Lt. Ryan Pennell, investigators also discovered several pornographic videos on Strampel’s work computer, including at least one of Nassar performing an “examination” on a patient. Nassar, a former medical trainer for Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, routinely disguised his sexual assaults as medical treatment.

In court documents, Pennell outlines allegations made by four women of sexually inappropriate behavior and language. One woman says she was grabbed on the butt by Strampel during a work engagement in 2010.

In 2016, as allegations against Nassar were first coming to light, Strampel remained one of his staunchest defenders. He assured Nassar he was “on [his] side” after the Indy Star released its initial investigation, and smeared Nassar’s victims as liars.

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“Patients lie to get doctors in trouble. And we’re seeing that right now in the news with this Nassar stuff,” Strampel said, according to meeting notes obtained by the Wall Street Journal. “I don’t think any of these women were actually assaulted by Larry, but Larry didn’t learn that lesson and didn’t have a chaperone in the room, so now they see an opening and they can take advantage of him.”

Weeks before Nassar was sentenced to more than 150 years in prison for his decades of abuse, Strampel, who is 70, stepped down from his role as dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State, citing medical reasons. He planned to continue to serve as a faculty member at the school, but university officials have moved to strip his tenure.

Strampel, along with Michigan State University, has been named in several ongoing lawsuits related to Larry Nassar’s crimes. Victims allege that Strampel and the university failed to protect the students in their care, and ignored numerous complaints made against Nassar for years by his former patients.

Even now, Michigan State University is fighting to block new legislation that would enlist more people as mandatory reporters of sexual abuse, and strengthen other victims’ ability to bring charges against their abusers. Rachel Denhollander, now a lawyer and the first of Nassar’s victims to publicly come forward, has also been personally attacked as uninformed by interim MSU president John Engler.