Grand Forks Man Pleads Guilty to Possession and Receipt of Child Pornography

FARGO - Acting U. S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on June 24, 2015, Alan Douglas Eslinger, 44, Grand Forks, North Dakota, pleaded guilty before U. S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson to one count of Receipt of Child Pornography and three counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

This case came to the attention of law enforcement after an agent with the North Dakota Bureau of Investigations, assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), discovered a computer geographically located in ND that was sharing child pornography in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network.   Homeland Security Investigators traced the IP address to an industrial park located in northeast Grand Forks, ND.  Working with the network administrator of the industrial park, BCI agents were able to pinpoint the specific location in the industrial park where Eslinger was operating his computer.  Based upon this evidence, BCI Special Agents obtained and executed a search warrant for a garage leased by Eslinger in the industrial park.  Seized as a result of the search warrant were various electronic media which contained visual depictions of child pornography.

"Crimes against children will not be tolerated,” said acting Special Agent in Charge William M. Lowder of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), located in St. Paul, MN. “HSI will continue to work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners to investigate those who sexually exploit our young people and ensure that these predators feel the full weight of the law.”

The maximum combined penalties for the charges is 80 years in prison, with a minimum of 5 years in count one.  Chief Judge Erickson has set a sentencing hearing for September 17, 2015.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

Assistant U. S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl is the prosecutor assigned to the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions.  Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.