Former North Dakota National Guard member sentenced to more than 25 years for luring children over Internet for sex

FARGO, N.D. — A former eastern North Dakota National Guard member was sentenced in federal court Monday to 305 months in prison on multiple charges related to luring young girls over the Internet to have sex.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the North Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

Eric Sansburn, 30, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, was sentenced to 305 months (25 years, 4 months) in federal prison on seven criminal charges. The charges included two counts of transporting minors to engage in sexual activity, three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, and two counts of possession of child pornography.

Sansburn was originally identified as a suspect by law enforcement after failing a pre-employment polygraph test, administered by the Department of Homeland Security, after applying for a job with the United States Border Patrol.

The investigation revealed Sansburn, who was a North Dakota National Guard member at the time of the investigation, was found to be in possession of computer files containing child pornography at the time of his arrest. Investigators also discovered multiple social media accounts he had created and later used to contact minor females between the ages of 13 and 17 to groom them and eventually meet for sex. Grooming is defined as a variety of techniques used by a sex offender to access and control potential child victims.

After he completes his prison sentence, Sansburn must also serve a period of lifetime supervision, pay a $700 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund, pay $500 in restitution. He was also ordered to forfeit an iPhone, a Hitachi computer hard drive, and two laptop computers.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.