Minnesota man sentenced to 75 months for receipt of child pornography

MINNEAPOLIS — A southern Minnesota man was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 75 months in prison for receiving child pornography.

This sentenced resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Bryan Scott Erickson, 40 of La Crescent. Minnesota, previously pleaded guilty on March 19, 2018, and was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in Minneapolis on one count of receipt of child pornography.

“This case is the product of outstanding investigative work by dedicated law enforcement professionals,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Buzicky. “I am proud to work alongside individuals who are committed to tackling some of the most difficult cases in pursuit of justice for vulnerable, young victims of exploitation.”

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, Erickson used an online app called KiK Messenger to trade child pornography in groups dedicated to sharing images of child sexual abuse. In 2016, HSI special agents conducted an undercover investigation of child pornography trading on the app and identified Erickson as a user that was sharing child pornography.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Erickson’s home and seized numerous computers and electronic devices. The forensic investigation that followed revealed Erickson had approximately 600 online chats with a man who claimed to have sex with his own children. Erickson asked the man for advice about when to start molesting children, and what sexual acts to engage in with children of various ages.

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 16,000 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 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 victims identified or rescued.

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. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

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.

HSI is a founding member 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.