A former California cheerleading coach is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting multiple minors.
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Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer/Getty
Erick Joseph Kristianson was convicted this week in Orange County of molesting at least 10 girls, some as young as 9, during his time as a competitive cheer coach and camp counselor in the early 2000s. Prosecutors said the crimes occurred between 2002 and 2006 while Kristianson worked at cheerleading gyms and youth programs throughout the region.
Kristianson previously coached at Magic All-Stars and also served as an assistant cheer coach at Trabuco Hills High School. Sentencing has not yet taken place, but he faces a potential maximum of 165 years in prison.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Kristianson used his role as a trusted coach to gain access to young athletes, assaulting victims at competitions and, in some cases, at his own home. District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Kristianson relied on secrecy and trust to avoid detection for years.
Erick Kristianson/Courtesy Orange County Distric Attorney's Office
The case came to light in 2022 after Kristianson was arrested in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl and engaging in explicit conduct during video calls with minors. The alleged victims in that case were students at a competitive cheer club where he was working at the time.
After news of the Florida arrest became public, a former Orange County victim contacted authorities and reported abuse she said occurred when she was 14. That report prompted a broader investigation, which ultimately identified seven additional victims in Orange County, ranging in age from nine to 16. Two others were connected to Kristianson through a family relationship and a youth sleep-away camp.
Kristianson remains in custody. Prosecutors said sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
