Nassar’s former boss accused of harassing students at college
Police say nude selfies of co-eds were on computer
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The former dean of Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, who oversaw disgraced doctor Larry Nassar’s clinic, faces accusations that he sexually harassed students and stored pornographic images on his computer, according to court records.
Michigan’s attorney general announced an investigation of sexual misconduct at Michigan State University in January.
Warrants were issued for William Derkey Strampel, 70, on charges of felony misconduct in office, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and two additional misdemeanors, according to documents presented Tuesday in district court in East Lansing, Mich.
The affidavit presented in court involves charges related to four female medical students. It alleges that Strampel groped two of them and made inappropriate sexual comments to numerous students and that investigators found pornographic images on his computer.
Strampel was arrested Monday and housed at Ingham County Jail.
The misconduct in office charge could carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The sexual assault charge could carry a two-year maximum sentence. The willful neglect of duty charges could carry a one-year maximum each.
John Dakmak, Strampel’s attorney, said Tuesday that he was working to figure out “what’s going on” and declined to comment further.
The attorney general’s investigation, which is led by special prosecutor William Forsyth, was announced amid two sentencing hearings for Nassar. Forsyth’s first request for documents revealed Strampel, who was Nassar’s boss, was an early focus.
During a news conference Tuesday, Forsyth said his investigation received a credible tip about Strampel, so it ob- tained a search warrant before the university could provide documents. Among the affidavit’s allegations:
❚ A forensic examination of Strampel’s work computer found about 50 pornographic photographs. Police said many of the photos appeared to be “selfies” of female Michigan State University students. “Also uncovered on Strampel’s work computer were pornographic videos and a video of Dr. Larry Nassar performing ‘treatment’ on a young female patient,” the affidavit said.
❚ A woman said that in 2011, she fell asleep in class, and Strampel summoned her to his office. He told her not to sit down but to turn around twice, so he could observe her body, she told police. The woman said Strampel told her she needed to dress sexier if she wanted to advance in her profession. Years later, she met with Strampel again to address complaints about her surgical residency. He again told her to turn around twice, she said. According to the affidavit, he told her she needed to learn her place in life and asked, “What do I have to do to teach you to be submissive and subordinate to men?”
❚ In 2014, he met with a female student who had failed an exam. She told police he scanned her body up and down several times when she walked into his office. She asked permission to retake the exam. She fell 1 point short of a passing grade when she retook the test, and Strampel allegedly suggested she become a centerfold model as a backup career. He allegedly told her she could take the test a third time, but she would be required to do anything for him, and if he called her on the weekend to “weed the garden,” she would have to do it.
Strampel served as dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine from
2002 until December, when he stepped down for medical reasons. He remains on the faculty, though he is on medical leave.
Strampel was Nassar’s boss for several years, including in 2014, when Nassar was the subject of a criminal investigation stemming from Amanda Thomashow’s report that Nassar sexually assaulted her during a medical appointment.