Minneapolis Review

A Minnesota man has been convicted by a federal jury for crimes related to child sexual abuse material, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Craig James Myran, 47, from Bemidji, was found guilty of advertising, distributing, and possessing such material.

Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Myran was actively involved in a dark web site dedicated to child sexual abuse content. Over several years, he used a unique username to make over a thousand posts on the platform. These included requests for specific files and distribution of such material to other users.

On December 8, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Myran's apartment in Bemidji. They discovered numerous hard drives and a cell phone containing evidence linking him to his account on the dark web site. This included shared and requested files of child sexual abuse material and thousands of additional images.

Following a three-day trial, the jury found Myran guilty on two counts of advertising child pornography, one count of distributing it, and one count of possession. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled later.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child exploitation via the Internet. The project involves collaboration between federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. DOJ Trial Attorney William G. Clayman from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.