US gymnastics team doctor sentenced to 60 years on child pornography charges

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor accused of sexually assaulting gymnasts, to 60 years in prison on federal child pornography charges that grew out of a sex abuse investigation, local media reported.

U.S. District Judge Janet Neff in Grand Rapids, Michigan handed down the sentences sought by prosecutors, who said there was a link between Nassar's child-pornography activities and his "prolific molestation of children," according to court documents.

"You have to wonder whether he felt he was omnipotent, whether he felt he was getting away with something so cleverly," Neff said according to the Lansing State Journal.

Nassar, 54, pleaded guilty in July to possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography depicting children as young as infants between 2003 and 2016.

Nassar is also set to be sentenced in January in state court after pleading guilty to additional counts of criminal sexual conduct for assaulting girls under the guise of medical treatment.

Nassar's sentencing on Thursday followed claims by gymnasts that they had been sexually abused by the former team doctor.

(Reporting by Chris Kenning in Chicago, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy)