LANSING, Mich. — The former dean of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine was sentenced in Judge Draganchuk's court on Wednesday.
She sentenced him to serve one year in jail on misconduct in office and neglect of duty charges.
His sentence is for 11 months on count one, 1 year on count three, and 1 year on count four - all to be served concurrently in the Ingham County Jail. It included no probationary period and money paid out for court costs and specifically, $130 to the crime victim's fund.
A jury convicted William Strampel of misconduct in office and neglect of duty back in July.
Jurors acquitted him of a more serious charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Prosecutors said Strampel abused his power to take advantage of female students.
Assistant Attorney General Danielle Hagaman-Clark began on Wednesday with a victim, Lea Jackson, speaking about her experiences of dealing with Strampel when she was a student at MSU and he was her Dean. Her voice cracked as she talked about things he said to her and she asked for the maximum sentence to be given.
Then the prosecuting attorney read a letter from another victim. In the letter, this woman said that Strampel threatened to ruin my reputation by telling people we were having sex. She also asked for him to receive the max sentence on the basis that he took advantage of his position.
The people closed asking for a 1-5 year max sentence.
Then the defense spoke to the judge with William Strampel at his side.
John Dakmak painted the picture of Strampel as a family man who has been married for over 50 years, also a grandfather, and a veteran. He claimed that MSUCOM is better because of Strampel, including female applicants to the program.
He also spoke of Strampel's health, said that he is recovering from a stroke and has a pacemaker.
For these reasons he requested a term of probation for Strampel to serve or even house arrest.
The judge then asked Strampel to speak.
He said he saw no reason to "drag this on any further," and added that he had nothing to say that his attorney hadn't already said.
The judge responded and said she was disappointed in Strampel for not talking or apologizing to the people who spoke up in this case.
She said that Strampel used his position as Dean to oppress these women. She said they were "bright, focused, with dreams and goals" and they came to him for guidance and he "squashed their dreams."
Judge Draganchuk told Strampel that he didn't have to threaten with sexual innuendos, "things you said, you didn't have to say. Just say yes or no," she said.
She added that since he didn't just say yes or no that he "derived some sort of sexual satisfaction from manipulating and oppressing these women."
She also said that she wasn't prepared to say that no one suffered any harm from his actions.
"You're good things are good," she said, "but your bad things are bad and you deserve punishment."
She said "the purpose of incarceration is punishment."
At that point she laid out the sentencing.
Strampel's trial lasted more than a week.
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