Nassar appeals 60-year prison term for child porn

Less than a week after a federal judge handed Larry Nassar a 60-year prison sentence for possessing child pornography, his attorney filed an appeal Wednesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

U.S. District Judge Janet Neff gave the former MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor the maximum penalty last Thursday after Nassar pleaded guilty to having 37,000 images of child pornography.

Under federal law, Neff was able to consider the scope of Nassar’s crimes, including his sexual assault of young girls by digital penetration during medical visits, to which he admitted guilt last month in two state courts.

While Nassar pleaded guilty to 10 charges of first-degree criminal sexual assault involving nine young women, nearly 150 young women have come forward, alleging that he sexually assaulted them.

The 60-year sentence, given to Nassar in the western division of the federal court in Grand Rapids, came after he initially said he was innocent, then pleaded guilty.

The judge also said the sentence would run consecutive with two other sentences Nassar will face in January in Ingham and Eaton countunties — meaning the 54-year-old man will be behind bars for life.

His attorney, Shannon Smith, said he will likely appeal those sentences if he gets the maximum but she and Nassar’s other attorney, Matt Newburg, will not be representing him in the appeal.

KKozlowski@detroitnews.com