A 72-year-old St. Cloud man is accused of stockpiling child sexual abuse material and now faces ten felony counts tied to images of victims younger than 14. Investigators say they traced suspicious online activity to his north-side home after a technology company reported suspected abuse material, and he is set to appear in Stearns County District Court on June 16, 2026.
According to the criminal complaint, Microsoft flagged suspected child sexual abuse material in September 2023 after a Bing search and reported it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Investigators then traced an IP address to the home of Gregory Paul Erickson, and in a January 2025 interview he allegedly admitted that he possessed the material and had been downloading images since around 2000. A subsequent search warrant turned up more than 200 images and videos, with NCMEC identifying 124 victims across the files. Prosecutors say the counts are enhanced because Erickson is already a registered predatory offender with a prior conviction, per the complaint, according to KNSI.
How the tip reached investigators
When technology companies detect suspected child sexual abuse material on their platforms, they routinely send a report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, which reviews those tips and passes them on to the right law enforcement agency. In Minnesota, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says its ICAC task force serves as the statewide clearinghouse for tips with a Minnesota connection and provides digital forensics and investigative help to local departments. The task force frequently teams up with local police on cases that begin with platform reports. More detail on that reporting process is available from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
What the complaint alleges
The complaint states that during his interview, Erickson told investigators he had previously “acted on his urges” and had physical contact with minors, and that some of the seized files depicted children under 14. He is charged with ten felony counts and is scheduled to return to court on June 16; at this stage the filing remains an allegation and Erickson is presumed innocent, according to KNSI.
Legal context
Because Erickson is listed as a registered predatory offender, prosecutors note that the case carries added weight under state rules that govern how such defendants are charged and how communities are notified. Minnesota Statute 243.166 outlines who must register as a predatory offender and what information they must provide to law enforcement.
Next steps
The June 16 hearing is expected to move the case through standard pretrial procedures; if prosecutors move ahead with formal charges, the court will set a schedule for discovery, motions and any preliminary hearings. Local authorities and the Stearns County Attorney’s Office have not released additional information beyond what is contained in the criminal complaint.
