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Erick Kristianson, a former high school cheerleading coach, has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies on suspicion of abusing six girls between the ages of 11 and 16. The 44-year-old cheerleading coach was arrested last week in Fargo, North Dakota, on a felony warrant tied to the Orange County case.
Erick Kristianson faces 16 felony counts, including seven for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor under 14, according to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s office.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement:
"This was not a predator hiding in the shadows waiting to grab innocent girls. He was hiding in plain sight as he assaulted girl after girl, thinking he would never be caught because they trusted him as a coach."
He also faces allegations of abusing five other girls he coached in Orange County from 2002 to 2007, frequently taking them to his home under the garb of attending off-campus events. Kristianson is being held without bail at the Theo Lacy Facility. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 105 years to life in prison.
Erick Kristianson's coaching profession gave him access to young girls
Erick Kristianson worked as a cheer coach for Magic All-Stars from 2002 to 2008 and as an assistant cheer coach at Trabuco Hills High School in 2005. Investigators elaborated on his having access to six young girls that he assaulted while at Trabuco Hills High School.
The allegations against Erick Kristianson first came to light in 2022 after he was arrested in Daytona Beach, Florida, when he allegedly tried to achieve self-gratification on camera to three children between the ages of 11 and 13. He also reportedly touched the breasts of another 13-year-old girl.
According to reports, all of the victims were students of Erick Kristianson's cheer club in Daytona Beach.
Once news about his arrest made headlines, a young woman reached out to Orange County authorities, claiming to have been assaulted by Erick Kristianson, when the latter was her cheer coach. According to the girl, Kristianson would allegedly pick her up from school or take her home from cheer practice and engage in inappropriate activity from when she was 14 until she turned 16.
Todd Spitzer expresses his view on Kristianson's arrest
Speaking on the matter, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said:
"Pedophiles will never stop stalking and grooming their prey unless they are stopped. This was not a predator hiding in the shadows waiting to grab innocent girls. He was hiding in plain sight as he assaulted girl after girl, thinking he would never be caught because they trusted him as a coach."
He added:
"Thankfully, he is in custody, and the Orange County District Attorney's Office will do everything it can to ensure he is held accountable for assaulting these young girls who thought they could trust him."
Authorities believe there are more victims and are encouraging anyone with information to come forward and call Orange County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Austin Jones at 714- 647-4016 to help ensure justice for the young girls.
