Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A New York native, Tyler N. Grundstrom, has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for crimes involving the production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors, and cyberstalking. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Grundstrom, who pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen. Following his release from prison, he will be under supervised release for life with restrictions aimed at limiting his access to children and the internet. Additionally, he must 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. He emphasized that predators like Grundstrom exploit the anonymity provided by the internet to target children from afar.
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams highlighted the dangers posed by online predators: "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 parents and children on social media platforms where such predators often seek victims.
Grundstrom's criminal activities involved using popular online communication platforms to identify and extort young girls into producing explicit content. The investigation uncovered multiple victims across at least two states between 2021 and 2022.
The FBI's Houston office and Atlanta's Athens Resident Agency conducted the investigation into Grundstrom's activities. His case falls under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or internet safety education resources, individuals are encouraged to visit the DOJ’s PSC page.
