Former Detroit Doctor Sentenced to Nine Years for Child Pornography

A former Detroit doctor has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in a child pornography ring. Lincoln Erickson, 32, was apprehended by FBI agents on December 10 after investigators discovered child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated pornography depicting children, on his phone.

Erickson was found to be part of a larger network and admitted to plans of traveling to meet individuals involved in sexual abuse. He engaged in disturbing online communications with other individuals in the ring, expressing attraction to pedophiles and stating, "I love being a pedo." In one Telegram message, he wrote, "Bro, I love other pedophiles. So hot."

During an investigation stemming from an arrest in Toledo, Ohio, authorities learned Erickson had communicated with an undercover FBI agent posing as a parent. The agent reported that Erickson had made plans to sexually abuse what he believed to be a 7-year-old girl and a 6-month-old infant. His communications also included fantasies about having children that members of the group could groom from infancy into adulthood.

Erickson, who previously worked at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, a part of the Detroit Medical Center, has been in custody since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. As part of his sentence, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

"Anyone who [possesses] child sexual abuse material should expect severe consequences, and today, this sexual predator begins paying the price for his actions with more than 100 months in federal prison," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, in a statement. "I am grateful for the relentless work of our FBI Detroit Crimes Against Children Squad and our task force officers from the Detroit Police Department for aggressively pursuing those who victimize children and helping to hold them accountable."

His arrest led to the identification and subsequent arrests of two other men, Jeremy Brian Tacon and Joshua Ronnebaum, who were allegedly involved in the ring.