Larry Nassar and more than 20,000 other people are off Michigan’s public sex offender registry after the state’s top court ruled that newer registry rules cannot be applied to older crimes. Nassar stays in prison.
Story Highlights
- The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on September 9 that the state’s 2021 registry law cannot be applied to crimes committed before July 1, 2011.
- The Eaton County prosecutor’s office disclosed Nassar’s removal in a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 29, and confirmed it on Thursday, October 1.
- More than 20,000 of about 43,000 names came off the public list.
- Nassar remains in prison on federal and state sentences that run for decades.
Court Ruling That Drove Statewide Removals
The reason is a date. The Michigan Supreme Court said the 2021 changes to the Sex Offender Registration Act cannot be applied retroactively, meaning to crimes that took place before the rules existed. The court set the line at July 1, 2011. It found that keeping those people on the registry under the newer rules added to their punishment after the fact, which violates constitutional protections.
The registry is the public list, run by the Michigan State Police, that residents can search for people convicted of sex crimes. State police removed everyone whose offense took place before the cutoff. About 43,000 people were on the registry when the court ruled, so the list lost close to half its names.
The removal of Larry Nassar from Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry is deeply troubling to the survivors he abused. McKeen & Associates has represented survivors of Nassar's abuse and we stand with them.
This feels like a painful setback for victims who fought hard to be heard.— McKeen & Associates (@McKeenAssocPC) October 2, 2026
Why Larry Nassar Was Delisted Under the Cutoff
Nassar is the former sports doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University who was convicted of sexually abusing athletes. His crimes took place before the cutoff, even though he was sentenced in 2018. “His conduct occurred before 2011 despite his convictions coming after,” Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd said. His office said the rule turns on “the date of the offenses not the date of conviction.” The same rule applied to thousands of other cases.
Coming off the list does not change his sentences. Nassar is serving 60 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. He also has state sentences of 40 to 175 years in Ingham County and 40 to 125 years in Eaton County. Authorities have said it is highly unlikely he will ever be released.
Public Safety Concerns And Community Impact
Lloyd’s office called the ruling “deeply concerning.” The office said, “Our community, along with the victims of these crimes, expected the registry to provide a measure of protection and awareness—assurances that have now been removed by the Court’s ruling.” Lloyd said any debate over how well the registry works “should occur in the legislature, not by decision of the court.”
State Representative Matthew Bierlein, a Republican from Vassar, also objected. “These recent changes from the Supreme Court and their ruling, it’s not only frustrating, I think it’s insulting to victims,” he said. “It leaves them with a huge amount of unrest.” Bierlein said lawmakers are looking for a fix. “We are actively working on this and trying to find the answers,” he said. He did not describe a specific bill.
What Changes Next For Michigan Families
Families who check the public registry before trusting a neighbor, a coach or a caregiver will now see far fewer names. The ruling does not erase any conviction or shorten any prison term. It limits which registry rules the state can apply to crimes committed before July 1, 2011.
The names stay off unless Michigan lawmakers change the law. The court’s ruling covers only crimes committed before the cutoff date. For survivors and for parents who relied on the list, the next move belongs to the legislature.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, adn.com, michigan.gov, fox2detroit.com, mlive.com, wtvbam.com, revolt.tv, wnem.com