Calvin Eriksen, a 47-year-old former transplant surgeon, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material. Authorities say cybertips to NCMEC about Kik accounts led investigators to images and videos depicting the abuse of infants and toddlers found at his home and workplace. Prosecutors also say Eriksen communicated with an undercover officer posing as a mother and expressed intent to assault the agent’s purported child. He faces seven years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Former Wisconsin Transplant Surgeon Sentenced to 6 Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material
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Calvin Eriksen, a 47-year-old former transplant surgeon in Wisconsin, was sentenced to 72 months (six years) in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), authorities said.
U.S. District Judge Brett H. Ludwig imposed the sentence on Thursday, Jan. 29, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Investigation and Evidence
Prosecutors say the case began after four cybertips were forwarded to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning user accounts on the messaging platform Kik that had received and shared CSAM. Those leads prompted searches of Eriksen's home and workplace, where investigators recovered images that depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
Local reporting from FOX 6 NOW said a warrant for Eriksen's Kik account revealed more than 350 graphic images and over 60 videos. The U.S. Attorney's Office also reported that Eriksen communicated online with an undercover officer who was posing as the mother of an 8-year-old girl; prosecutors say Eriksen expressed an interest in sexually assaulting the purported child and sent a nude photograph of himself to the undercover agent.
Professional and Legal Consequences
Eriksen was placed on leave from Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin days after his July 15, 2025 arrest, according to TMJ4. At the time, the hospital said his ability to see patients was suspended while the investigation proceeded and that it was cooperating with law enforcement.
In addition to the prison term, Eriksen will serve seven years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
Prosecutor's Statement and Case Status
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced in August that Eriksen had been indicted on charges of distributing child pornography. According to court records cited by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Eriksen pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2025.
“We have no higher priority in the criminal justice system than to protect children, and we will continue to devote substantial resources to catching and punishing those who steal their innocence,” U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel said in a statement.
The investigation and prosecution highlight ongoing efforts by law enforcement and NCMEC to identify and pursue people who distribute or possess abusive material online.
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