A former cheerleading coach in Orange County has been convicted on 23 felony counts for molesting 10 girls as young as 9 years old across multiple organizations spanning nearly a decade, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Erick Joseph Kristianson, 46, of Antioch, Tennessee, was convicted Monday on 11 felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts upon a minor under 14 years of age, four felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts upon a child age 14 or 15, six felony counts of sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor under 18, and two felony counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor under 16.

Kristianson faces a maximum sentence of 165 years to life in prison, plus six years and eight months in state prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2026.

Pattern of Abuse Across Multiple Organizations

According to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, Kristianson abused the girls at several locations throughout Orange County during the late 1990s and mid-2000s. He first gained access to children while working as a sleep-away camp counselor for the South Orange County YMCA in 1999 and 2000. He later worked as a cheer coach at the academy Magic All-Stars from 2002 to 2005 and at Trabuco Hills High School from 2004 to 2006.

Prosecutors indicated that at least two girls ultimately left cheerleading entirely due to the abuse they endured. One victim reported that Kristianson routinely met with her during school lunch hours when she was 14 years old, taking her to his home or to the beach and engaging in sexual activity with her through age 15.

The Orange County allegations came to light following Kristianson’s arrest in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was charged with similar crimes. Florida authorities arrested him for allegedly masturbating on camera to three children between the ages of 11 and 13 and touching the private parts of another 13-year-old girl. Those victims were also cheer students of Kristianson.

After news reports regarding the Florida arrest, a young woman contacted Orange County authorities to report her own abuse by Kristianson when she was a teenager. This initial report opened the door for additional victims to come forward.

“For decades, Erick Kristianson used cheerleading gyms in Orange County and across the country as a kind of perverted catalog from which to select the next young girl he was going to molest,” District Attorney Spitzer said. “He was hiding in plain sight, a trusted coach banking on the fact that he could trust his young victims not to say anything about the abuse they were enduring.”

Institutional Responsibility in Youth Sports and Camp Settings

Cases involving serial abuse across multiple organizations over extended periods raise critical questions about institutional oversight, background screening procedures, and the systems meant to protect children in youth sports programs, summer camps, and school settings. When a coach or counselor moves between organizations while abusing children, it suggests potential gaps in information sharing, reference checking, and monitoring practices across the youth athletics and recreation industry.

In civil law, potential claims arising from such circumstances may extend beyond the individual perpetrator to include the organizations where abuse occurred. Legal theories can include negligent hiring when background checks are inadequate or prior warning signs are ignored, negligent supervision when policies fail to prevent one-on-one access or inappropriate contact between adults and minors, negligent retention when concerns or complaints are not properly investigated or acted upon, and failure to warn when an organization learns of concerning behavior but does not alert other institutions or potential victims.

Youth-serving organizations, including YMCAs, private athletic clubs, and school districts, have a duty to implement and enforce comprehensive child protection policies. This includes thorough background screening of all staff and volunteers who work with minors, clear protocols governing adult-child interactions and prohibiting isolated one-on-one contact, mandatory training on recognizing and reporting signs of abuse, accessible channels for reporting concerns without fear of retaliation, and prompt investigation and response to any allegations or warning signs.

When these safeguards are absent, inadequately implemented, or inconsistently enforced, organizations may face civil liability for harm that results. In California, laws such as the Child Victims Act recognize that many survivors require years before they are ready to come forward, providing extended timeframes for filing civil claims related to childhood sexual abuse. These civil actions may proceed independently of criminal prosecutions and can serve as a pathway for survivors to seek accountability and justice.

The Importance of Survivor Voices

This case demonstrates how critical it is for survivors to feel empowered to report abuse, even years or decades after it occurs. The initial report following news coverage of the Florida arrest created an opening for other victims to come forward, ultimately leading to justice for 10 survivors. Many survivors carry the burden of abuse in silence for years, particularly when the perpetrator was a trusted authority figure or when they fear they will not be believed.

Creating environments where children feel safe reporting concerning behavior, where parents are encouraged to ask questions about supervision and policies, and where organizations respond seriously to any allegation or red flag remains essential to protecting young people in youth sports, camps, schools, and community programs.

Easton & Easton’s Commitment to Survivors of Institutional Abuse

At Easton & Easton, we are deeply committed to supporting survivors of childhood sexual abuse, particularly in cases involving youth sports organizations, YMCAs, school districts, and other institutions entrusted with the care of children. We understand that survivors who were abused by coaches, teachers, or counselors often face profound feelings of betrayal and complex emotional challenges, especially when the abuse occurred in settings meant to foster confidence, growth, and community.

Our approach combines compassionate, trauma-informed advocacy with thorough investigation of institutional practices and failures. We recognize that legal accountability represents only one component of a survivor’s healing journey, and we work to connect clients with therapeutic professionals, victim-support services, and community resources that provide ongoing support throughout and beyond the legal process.

Attorney Saul Wolf has extensive experience handling civil claims related to institutional abuse across a wide range of settings, including church entities such as the Roman Catholic Church, private schools and public school districts including Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), youth-serving organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs, and youth sports organizations and national governing bodies including USA Water Polo and USA Cheer.

Easton & Easton remains dedicated to helping survivors seek accountability, clarity, and justice while advocating for stronger protections and institutional responsibility within organizations that serve children throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, and across California.

If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in a youth sports, camp, or school setting, we invite you to contact Easton & Easton for a confidential consultation. Our team is here to listen, answer your questions, and help you understand your legal options.