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Detroit ex-doctor who allegedly wrote ‘I love being a pedo’ pleads guilty; FBI reveals disturbing messages
Detroit-area doctor pleads guilty to child pornography charge after FBI investigation uncovered online abuse discussions.
A former Detroit-area doctor has pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge after an FBI investigation allegedly uncovered disturbing online messages and discussions involving child sexual abuse, according to prosecutors.
Lincoln Erickson, 32, entered a guilty plea this week to receipt of child pornography. Authorities said Erickson was arrested on December 10, 2025, after investigators linked him to what prosecutors described as a broader child exploitation network.
According to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Erickson has remained in custody since his arrest.
Court filings cited by local outlet ClickOnDetroit reported that investigators allegedly recovered Telegram messages in which Erickson wrote, “I love being a pedo.”
Another alleged message quoted by reports stated: “Bro, I love other pedophiles. So hot.”
FBI investigation traced to Ohio case
Authorities said the investigation widened after the March 2025 arrest of Ohio resident Brett Tooman.
According to reports, Tooman allegedly traveled to Toledo believing he would sexually abuse children arranged by a parent online. Investigators later said he had actually been communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as a parent.
Court filings said investigators uncovered additional message threads involving multiple suspects, including Jeremy Brian Tacon and Joshua Ronnebaum, eventually leading them to Erickson through Telegram chats.
According to complaint details, Erickson allegedly discussed abusive fantasies involving children and admitted in messages to sexually abusing a friend’s three-year-old child.
One alleged message quoted in reports read: “‘Start them young.’”
Exploitation and sentencing details
The federal investigation further revealed the disturbing extent of the illicit material. According to the New York Post, federal agents discovered videos of minors engaged in explicit acts, alongside AI-generated pornography depicting nude children touching adult men.
Erickson, who worked as a medical resident at the Detroit Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, drew condemnation from law enforcement. US Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. stated that Erickson was "lurking among our trusted medical professionals" while feeding his illicit appetites.
Erickson's guilty plea on Wednesday carries a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years, along with a fine of up to $250,000. He is scheduled for sentencing on September 15, 2026, and will be required to register as a sex offender.
