William Strampel, a former dean at Michigan State University, was sentenced on Wednesday to one year in jail for his involvement with the Larry Nassar case.
Nassar was sentenced in February 2018 for his prolonged sexual abuse of patients while serving as a doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Strampel is the former dean for the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was sentenced by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk.
Strampel received 11 months for one count of misconduct in office and one year for two counts of willful neglect of duty. He will be serving the sentences concurrently in the Ingham County Jail.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel applauded Draganchuk’s sentencing in a statement released on Wednesday.
“We appreciate the court’s decision and commitment to ensuring justice in this case was served,” Nessel said. “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.”
Strampel was found not guilty for a charge of second-degree sexual misconduct.
Nicole Eastman, a survivor in the case and a witness against Strampel, said in her victim impact statement that she was “disappointed” to hear of Strampel’s acquittal on the charge of second-degree sexual misconduct.
“I believe Dr. Jessica Neuroth as part of my experience with former Dean William Strampel mirrors hers. He should have been found guilty on the criminal sexual conduct, and he knows the truth in regards to his inability to keep his hands to himself,” Eastman said. “He will live with the guilt that he touched more than one female medical student without consent. He violated personal space and betrayed trust in a position of power, and he also disrespected his wife.”
Eastman also recounted personal harassment from Strampel, including an allegation that he grabbed her inappropriately at MSU’s MOCF Ball in 2010.
“I think of the victims of both William Strampel and Larry Nassar, and I think of the comments that I have seen from those who have questioned why the term ‘Survivor’ is used,” she said. “Knowing that not all have survived the pain from this abuse, that some died by suicide secondary to the pain inflicted on them, I feel that the term “Survivor” is quite fitting.”
Both Eastman and Nessel said that Strampel’s sentencing sends a larger message.
“Today’s sentencing sends a resoundingly clear message to public officials: If you brandish your power to demean, insult, harass, objectify, and abuse women, you will be held accountable,” said Nessel.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with Battleground State News and The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
