The former USA Gymnastics team doctor at the center of a sexual assault scandal pleaded guilty Wednesday to multiple counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in a Michigan court.
According to CNN, of the seven charges against Larry Nassar, three applied to victims under age 13, and three applied to victims 13 to 15 years old. Other charges were dismissed or reduced as part of a plea agreement Nassar made with Michigan prosecutors.
He faces up to 25 years in prison.
In total, 125 victims who reported assaults to Michigan State Police will be allowed to give victim-impact statements at Nassar’s upcoming sentencing. Nassar had been charged with 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 11 counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct at the state level.
In addition to serving as USA Gymnastics physician through four Olympic Games, Nassar was the team physician for the Michigan State University gymnastics and women’s crew teams, as well as an associate professor at MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. He worked at MSU from 1997 to 2016.
After the conviction, Nasser offered a short statement of apology:
For all those involved, I’m so horribly sorry that this was like a match that turned into a forest fire out of control. I have no animosity toward anyone. I just want healing. ... We need to move forward in a sense of growth and healing and I pray (for) that.
Recently, members of the “Fierce Five”—including Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, who took team gold at the 2012 Olympics—accused Nassar of sexual misconduct in his role as the USA Gymnastics doctor.
Gabby Douglas, who initially faced some heat for seemingly not supporting Raisman when she came forward, also reported her own sexual violation by Nassar on Tuesday.
Separately, Nassar is also awaiting sentencing on federal charges of receiving child pornography, possessing child pornography, and a charge that he hid and destroyed evidence in the case. That hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Read more at CNN.