Former USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny was arrested Wednesday after a Texas grand jury indicted him, alleging he tampered with evidence in the sexual assault investigation of now-imprisoned gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Steve Penny, former chief executive and president of U.S.A. Gymnastics, has been indicted on felony charges of evidence tampering in Walker County, Texas. He allegedly removed documents related to Larry Nassar's activities at the Karolyi ranch, the national team training center.
— Juliet Macur (@JulietMacur) October 18, 2018
In a statement issued late Wednesday night, the Walker County district attorney’s office in Huntsville, Texas, said Penny was arrested by a fugitive task force in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and awaits extradition to Texas.
The third-degree felony is punishable by two to 10 years in prison.
It was unclear if Penny has an attorney. Messages left with USA Gymnastics weren’t immediately returned.
#Breaking: Officials in Walker County, Texas arrest former USA Gymnastics @USAgym CEO Steve Penny for Tampering with Evidence charges for allegedly removing documents from the Karolyi Ranch. #Nassar #abc13 #gymnastics pic.twitter.com/vtgrnljvOI
— Miya Shay (@ABC13Miya) October 18, 2018
According to the indictment, Penny ordered the removal of documents from the Karolyi Ranch that were related to Nassar’s activities.
The indictment alleges Penny had the documents destroyed or hidden in an effort to impair the investigation by the Texas Rangers and the Walker County Sheriff’s Office.
Several sources told authorities the documents were delivered to Penny at USAG headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. The records have not been recovered since.
The Texas Rangers say they believe the records are material to their investigation, and that removal of the records hindered their investigation of Nassar.
On Feb. 5th, Nassar was sentenced to a third prison term of 40 to 125 years behind bars. He had already been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in another county, and to a 60-year federal term for child pornography crimes.
