Nassar associate charged, but not Karolyis

DALLAS — A former trainer who worked alongside ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar at the famed Karolyi gymnastics ranch in Texas was charged Friday with sexual assault. But prosecutors said there wasn’t evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the couple who ran the facility, former national team coordinators Bela and Martha Karolyi.

A grand jury indicted former trainer Debra Van Horn on one count of second-degree sexual assault of a child, making her the first person other than Nassar to be charged in direct connection with his assaults.

Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for sexual assault and possession of child pornography in Michigan, also was indicted Friday on six counts of the same charge.

Walker County Prosecutor Stephanie Stroud said the charges involved six victims but didn’t provide details of the alleged assaults. When asked for specifics about the allegations against Van Horn, Walker County District Attorney David Weeks said only that she was charged as “acting as a party” with Nassar.

Nassar was convicted and sentenced earlier this year in Michigan, after hundreds of women and girls accused him of sexually abusing them under the guise of medical treatment. They said the abuse went back decades, including while he worked for USA Gymnastics, which is responsible for training Olympic gymnasts, and Michigan State University.

The Texas charges stem from an investigation at the famed gymnastics training center just outside Huntsville that was run by the Karolyis and used by USA Gymnastics. Five former gymnasts implored authorities last month to determine whether the Karolyis could have prevented abuse at their facility. Two gymnasts said Nassar abused them there.

Stroud said Friday that no charges were filed against the Karolyis, who have denied knowledge of any mistreatment at their sinceclosed facility about 70 miles north of Houston.

But, she added: “It’s our belief that there was a total failure by USAG (USA Gymnastics) to protect athletes that were part of their program and to take appropriate action once they were made aware of Dr. Nassar’s actions.”

Stroud said investigators tried to determine if anyone at the ranch knew about Nassar’s alleged assaults and didn’t report them. But the two-year statute of limitations had lapsed on any possible misdemeanor charges of failure to report.

“That in no way means there was no wrongdoing at the ranch or within the ranks of USAG,” she said.

USA Gymnastics again said it is committed to “doing everything possible” to prevent future sexual assaults of its athletes.