Former Children's Transplant Surgeon Sentenced to Six Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material By Ingrid Vasquez

A former transplant surgeon in Wisconsin has been sentenced to six years in federal prison on charges of distribution of child pornography.

Calvin Eriksen, 47, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Brett H. Ludwig on Thursday, Jan. 29, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin.

According to the press release, Eriksen’s charges stemmed from four cybertips referred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) over user accounts on the Kik online platform that had received and distributed Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

Those tips led to the investigation at Eriksen’s home and workplace, where images that depicted the abuse of infants and toddlers were discovered.

According to FOX 6 NOW, a warrant for Eriksen’s Kik user profile found it in possession of more than 350 graphic pictures and more than 60 graphic videos.

Eriksen also communicated online with an undercover law enforcement agent who was posing as the mother of an 8-year-old daughter, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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“Eriksen repeatedly expressed an interest in sexually assaulting the UC’s daughter and sent a naked photo of himself,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office states.

Upon completion of his prison sentence, Eriksen will spend seven years on supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office states.

He was placed on leave from Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin days after his July 15, 2025, arrest, according to TMJ4.

“The doctor’s ability to see patients has been suspended while the investigation proceeds, and they are fully cooperating with law enforcement,” Froedtert Hospital said in a statement to the outlet at the time.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced in August that Eriksen had been indicted for the distribution of child pornography.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, citing court records, Eriksen pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2025.

“We have no higher priority in the criminal justice system than to protect children, and we will continue to devote substantial resources to catching and punishing those who steal their innocence,” said U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel in a press statement.

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“This case demonstrates the troubling reality that people who prey on children for sexual gratification can come from all walks of life,” Schmiel’s statement continued.