A New York man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for crimes involving the exploitation of minors online. Tyler N. Grundstrom, 22, pleaded guilty to charges including production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors, and cyberstalking. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Grundstrom's sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who imposed a total of 288 months in prison. Following his release, Grundstrom will be subject to lifetime supervised release with strict conditions limiting his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“The significant sentence in this case is a reminder of how seriously the Department of Justice takes the online victimization of minors,” said Ganjei. “Gone are the days where the predator lives next door or down the street; now a would-be exploiter can be thousands of miles away. Grundstrom, and similar online predators, are the reason why parents need to know who is talking to their child online.”
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams commented on the case: “This case is a chilling reminder there are twisted criminals, like Tyler Grundstrom, who use the internet’s anonymity to manipulate children’s innocence for their own sick ends.” He urged vigilance among children and parents on social media platforms where predators often seek victims.
Grundstrom exploited popular online communication platforms to target young girls for extortion and exploitation between 2021 and 2022 across at least two states. The investigation uncovered multiple victims subjected to manipulation and threats for explicit content production.
The FBI offices in Houston and Atlanta's Athens Resident Agency led the investigation into Grundstrom's activities.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. PSC coordinates resources from various levels of government to apprehend offenders and rescue victims.
Grundstrom remains in custody pending transfer to a designated U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.