A former Detroit-area doctor has been sentenced to 108 months, approximately nine years, in federal prison after pleading guilty to a child sex abuse charge. Lincoln Erickson, 32, of Farmington Hills, admitted to receiving child pornography as part of a federal investigation that uncovered a network of individuals involved in such crimes.
Erickson, who was a medical resident at a Detroit hospital, was arrested on December 9, 2025. His arrest followed an investigation that led to the apprehension of three other men, including Brett Tooman. Tooman was taken into custody on March 29, 2025, in Ohio on allegations of attempting to sexually abuse a child.
According to court documents, Erickson's involvement came to light through text messages and encrypted communications with Joshua Ronnebaum, another individual arrested in the case. During these exchanges, Erickson allegedly shared fantasies about abusing children and admitted to possessing child pornography. In one instance, he reportedly told Ronnebaum that he "f***ed a boy" and fantasized about grooming children from infancy to adulthood.
Federal authorities stated that Erickson also admitted to sexually abusing a three-year-old child, the offspring of a friend. The complaint detailed that Erickson shared graphic fantasies and child pornography images with Ronnebaum. He also reportedly admitted to receiving child pornography that he believed was generated by artificial intelligence.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, stated that "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."
US Attorney Jerome Gordon Jr. commented, "This pervert was lurking among our trusted medical professionals. At the same time, he was feeding his disgusting appetites and plotting to abuse little children. Thankfully, the FBI caught him when they did."
Erickson had also faced a previous charge of domestic violence in 2024. He was sentenced on Tuesday, with his prison term to be followed by a period of supervised release. The investigation into the child pornography network remains ongoing.