U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Erik Bjorndal, a 49-year-old resident of Palm Bay, to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Bjorndal had previously entered a guilty plea on August 21, 2024.
Court documents reveal that Bjorndal downloaded multiple videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of children. Some of these videos contained sadistic and masochistic conduct as well as bestiality. Following this discovery, the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence and found hundreds of CSAM images on his devices. During an interview with FBI agents, Bjorndal admitted to viewing CSAM for "a while," possibly since his late twenties.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation into this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves collaboration between federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals who exploit children sexually and to identify and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.