Grand Forks man pleads guilty to multiple sex crimes against minors

By Emily Welker / The Forum A Grand Forks man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday in connection with charges he targeted children for sex after meeting them online, produced child pornography videos and possessed child pornography of victims as young as 6.  Eric Scott Sansburn, 30, pleaded guilty to seven different felony charges Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fargo, five of which carry potential life sentences in prison upon conviction. Sansburn pleaded guilty to two counts of transportation of a minor across state lines for sex, three counts of coercion of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography - all felonies. At the time Sansburn was charged he was a sergeant in the North Dakota Army National Guard’s military police unit. According to a National Guard spokeswoman he is no longer a member of the guard. Sansburn met children in the East Grand Forks area on social media sites and apps such as meetme.com, Snapchat and Facebook, federal prosecutor Jennifer Puhl said at Tuesday’s plea hearing. He then picked them up from their homes and schools to have sexual encounters in parking lots and other locations in Grand Forks, before dropping them back off again, she said. Sansburn would trade sexually explicit conversation with some of the teenage girls he targeted online before arranging to meet them in person, Puhl said.  When the father of one of the victims reported Sansburn had come to his home to meet his teenage daughter, police searched Sansburn’s home and found child pornography, Puhl said. Some of those images showed victims as young as 6.  The plea agreement in the case indicates prosecutors plan to recommend a 30-year sentence for Sansburn. Sansburn grew up in Grand Forks and graduated from Red River High School. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21.
By Emily Welker / The ForumA Grand Forks man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday in connection with charges he targeted children for sex after meeting them online, produced child pornography videos and possessed child pornography of victims as young as 6. Eric Scott Sansburn, 30, pleaded guilty to seven different felony charges Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fargo, five of which carry potential life sentences in prison upon conviction. Sansburn pleaded guilty to two counts of transportation of a minor across state lines for sex, three counts of coercion of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography - all felonies.At the time Sansburn was charged he was a sergeant in the North Dakota Army National Guard’s military police unit.According to a National Guard spokeswoman he is no longer a member of the guard.Sansburn met children in the East Grand Forks area on social media sites and apps such as meetme.com, Snapchat and Facebook, federal prosecutor Jennifer Puhl said at Tuesday’s plea hearing. He then picked them up from their homes and schools to have sexual encounters in parking lots and other locations in Grand Forks, before dropping them back off again, she said.Sansburn would trade sexually explicit conversation with some of the teenage girls he targeted online before arranging to meet them in person, Puhl said. When the father of one of the victims reported Sansburn had come to his home to meet his teenage daughter, police searched Sansburn’s home and found child pornography, Puhl said. Some of those images showed victims as young as 6. The plea agreement in the case indicates prosecutors plan to recommend a 30-year sentence for Sansburn.Sansburn grew up in Grand Forks and graduated from Red River High School.His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21.