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Ex-Orange County Cheer Coach Convicted of 23 Felonies in Abuse of 10 Girls

Sentencing is set for March 19, 2026, with a maximum of 165 years to life.

Overview

  • A Santa Ana jury on Dec. 16 found Erick Joseph Kristianson, 46, guilty on all counts after one day of deliberations.
  • The convictions include 11 lewd acts on children under 14, four on teens ages 14–15, six counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor under 18, and two of a minor under 16.
  • Prosecutors said he abused 10 girls ages 9–16 between about 1998 and 2006 through roles at Magic All-Stars, Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, and a South Orange County YMCA camp.
  • Many victims came forward after his 2022 arrest in Daytona Beach, where he faces separate charges tied to athletes at the Champion Elite Legacy gym.
  • He was arrested in Kansas in 2022 and in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2023 on an Orange County warrant before being extradited to California for trial.