DEKALB, Ill. (WTVO) — Police say an NIU student has been arrested and charged with production and distribution of child pornography after authorities discovered thousands of illicit images in his possession.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, an investigation into the activities of Michael Erickson, 20, began in April after police in Batavia were given a tip by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The tip led police to identify Erickson as the suspect and secured a search warrant for his dorm room at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

In May, police executed the search warrant and collected evidence on multiple electronic devices belonging to Erickson, authorities said, consisting of thousands of images of child sexual abuse material.

Investigators

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