FRESNO, Calif. – In a devastating blow to child predators, Danish national Claus Svelmo Marcuslund, 59, of Odense, Denmark, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in distributing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Marcuslund, a self-proclaimed pedophile, was arrested upon his arrival at the Fresno International Airport on July 11, 2023, after flying from Copenhagen to Los Angeles and then to Fresno. He had been communicating with an undercover agent on a dark-web site dedicated to pedophilia, where he sent graphic descriptions of his intentions to abuse a mother and her seven-year-old daughter.
Between 300 and 600 images of adults sexually abusing young children were sent to the agent by Marcuslund, who also discussed having another child with the mother and molesting the newborn. His disturbing messages were sent through the website’s messaging feature as well as the fully encrypted Telegram application.
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert emphasized the importance of working together to bring child predators to justice, saying, “To vindicate victims of child exploitation and bring criminals to justice, our law enforcement and our communities must work together in partnership across county, state, and national borders.”
San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King also weighed in on the case, stating, “We will do everything in our investigative power to bring to justice those who seek to hurt children. This sentence holds Marcuslund accountable for his crimes and serves as a warning for those who travel to the United States specifically to abuse a child.”
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case, which was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Marcuslund pleaded guilty on February 20, 2024, and will face 15 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. His case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting our children and holding offenders accountable for their heinous crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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