A former MSU gymnastics coach was charged with lying to police because she denied knowing about sexual misconduct allegations made against Larry Nassar.
Kathie Klages was charged with two counts of lying to a peace officer, one felony and one misdemeanor, by the Michigan Attorney General's Office on Thursday. Witnesses have said they reported Nassar’s sexual abuse to Klages as far back as 20 years ago.
Klages was charged in Ingham County 54A District Court. A $5,000 bond was set and a warrant was issued for her arrest. If convicted on the felony charge, she faces up to four years in prison. The misdemeanor charge carries a sentence of up to two years.
Klages retired on Feb. 14, 2017, a day after the university suspended her and hours after a former MSU athlete said in court documents that the coach had discouraged her years ago from reporting concerns about Nassar.
In 1997, former gymnast Larissa Boyce said she told Klages that Nassar had digitally penetrated her. At the time, Klages called a meeting with other members of a youth gymnastics program and asked if Nassar had done the same thing to any of them.
Boyce, who is now in her 30s, is one of the hundreds of women or girls suing MSU, Nassar or USA Gymnastics. All of those women say Nassar sexually assaulted them during medical appointments and that the organizations didn't do enough to protect them.
Nassar sexually abused hundreds of women and girls over more than 20 years, many of them at his MSU office. In May, MSU agreed to settle lawsuits filed by hundreds of those victims for $500 million.
Boyce was the first person to say in court documents that Klages was aware of the concerns about Nassar prior to September 2016, when an Indianapolis Star storydetailed two gymnast's allegations against Nassar.
She said Klages told her if she reported Nassar, it could have serious repercussions for herself and Nassar.
Nassar pleaded guilty to two federal child pornography charges and destroying computer files to hamper an investigation. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
His federal appeal was denied Wednesday.
Nassar received two additional lengthy prison sentences in Ingham County and Eaton County. He appealed both sentences, both of which are still pending.
At Nassar's seven-day Ingham County sentencing, 156 women and girls spoke about how Nassar sexually assaulted them.
Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison, telling him she was signing his "death warrant."
In Eaton County, he was sentenced to 40 to 125 years in prison.
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