Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the Texas Rangers to investigate recent allegations of sexual assault of athletes at the Karolyi Ranch in Walker County.
Karolyi Ranch previously served as the National Training Center for U.S.A. Gymnastics. In recent months, multiple athletes have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse while training at the facility.
"The public statements made by athletes who previously trained at the Karolyi Ranch are gut-wrenching," Abbott said in a statement Tuesday. "Those athletes, as well as all Texans, deserve to know that no stone is left unturned to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly vetted and the perpetrators and enablers of any such misconduct are brought to justice. The people of Texas demand, and the victims deserve, nothing less."
Abbott commended the Walker County Sheriff’s Office for its ongoing investigation. He said that because criminal action has been implicated across multiple jurisdictions and states, it is "essential that the Texas Rangers work with the Walker County Sheriff Office" in order to "comprehensively investigate all potential criminal conduct."