North Dakota man sentenced to 10 years for possessing child pornography

BISMARCK, N.D. — A central North Dakota man was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography.

This sentence is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the North Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the North Dakota Parole and Probation Office (PPO).

Erik E. Cryderman, 47, of Bismarck, was sentenced to the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on a charge of possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Cryderman had previously pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 21.

Cryderman's sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender and pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.

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 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking children. In fiscal year 2013, 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.