Edgewater Man, 51, Admits to Child Porn Obsession

BALTIMORE, MD – William Carl Eikenberg, Jr., 51, of Edgewater, Maryland, has admitted to a sickening obsession with child pornography, pleading guilty yesterday to accessing with intent to view such material. This isn’t Eikenberg’s first dance with the devil; he previously served time for distributing child pornography back in 2016, a fact that makes this latest offense all the more disturbing.

The case, announced by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad, reveals a pattern of depravity. Eikenberg used the BitTorrent network – a breeding ground for illegal file sharing – to download and trade in the most vile of content. His previous conviction landed him 114 days in jail, five years of probation, and required sex offender registration. Clearly, that wasn’t enough to deter him.

Between April and September 2017, Eikenberg knowingly possessed at least 94 video files and 80 images depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors. He admitted knowing these depictions involved children engaged in sexual activity. Detectives with the Anne Arundel County Police Department (AAPD) traced the illicit files back to his Edgewater address on July 3rd and September 3rd, 2017, identifying the digital fingerprints of the abuse on his IP address. One particularly disturbing file was a 21-minute video showing a prepubescent female engaged in sexual acts with an adult male.

Eikenberg’s attempts to evade justice were as pathetic as his crimes. He skipped sex offender treatment and fled probation supervision in September 2017. When AAPD officers and his probation officer attempted a home visit on September 22nd, he bolted out the backdoor, attempting to run before being quickly apprehended. In a voluntary interview, he confessed to using BitTorrent to fuel his depraved habit between April and September 2017.

Under a plea agreement, Eikenberg now faces 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2022. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. While a lengthy sentence won’t undo the harm caused, it sends a clear message: those who prey on children will be hunted and held accountable.

Barron commended the collaborative effort of the FBI, Anne Arundel County Police, Maryland State Police, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Maddox, Abigail E. Ticse, and Jeffrey J. Izant are prosecuting the case. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing. Resources for internet safety and reporting child exploitation can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.

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