Three LGBTQ+ Metro Detroit Professionals Charged in Child Sex Abuse Sting

Community reels as doctor, attorney and psychotherapist arrested in FBI case alleging child sex exploitation network

Lincoln Erickson, Joshua Ronnebaum and Jeremy Brian Tacon.

Published: December 17, 2025 | Last Updated: January 7, 2026

Editor’s Note: This story contains explicit details about child sexual abuse material and exploitation.

Three prominent Metro Detroit professionals — a doctor, an attorney and a psychotherapist — are facing federal charges after an FBI investigation uncovered what authorities describe as a network of men sharing child sexual abuse material and discussing plans to abuse children.

The arrests have sent shockwaves through communities where the men held positions of trust and leadership, including Detroit's Palmer Woods neighborhood and local healthcare and mental health organizations.

The investigation

In March 2025, Brett Tooman of Toledo was arrested after allegedly traveling to meet an undercover FBI agent who was posing as a parent. Tooman reportedly believed he would be meeting a 7-year-old girl and a 6-month-old baby.

That arrest led federal investigators to three additional suspects with ties to Metro Detroit: Jeremy Brian Tacon, 51, of Huntington Woods; Joshua Ronnebaum, 45, of Detroit; and Lincoln Erickson of Farmington Hills.

Community reactions on a recent Facebook post about the arrests.

According to federal complaints, Tooman had been communicating with an undercover FBI agent between March 6-29, 2025. During those conversations, authorities allege he discussed explicit sexual acts involving minors and shared videos depicting child sexual abuse. Court documents indicate the messages were extremely graphic, with authorities declining to share their full contents publicly.

When Tooman failed to appear for an initial meeting with the agent, he reportedly apologized and expressed eagerness to try again. The two arranged another meeting, and when Tooman arrived at the planned location, he was immediately arrested. Cocaine was allegedly found in his vehicle.

Following his arrest, Tooman reportedly told police he had been viewing child sexual abuse material for several years and shared it with others. When asked about what led to his arrest, he allegedly told authorities, "bad decisions."

Federal investigators subsequently learned he had allegedly been sharing such material with Tacon and Ronnebaum, leading to an investigation of both men and eventually Erickson. Court documents show Tooman and the three Detroit area men allegedly spoke casually and graphically about their interest in sexually abusing very young children.

The suspects

Jeremy Brian Tacon was a licensed psychotherapist who worked at the Arbor Wellness Center in Huntington Woods. Born in New Zealand, Tacon's LinkedIn profile describes his background as a flight attendant before pursuing a master's degree in clinical psychology and moving to Michigan in 2016.

According to the federal complaint, investigators reviewed conversations between Tacon and Tooman that showed Tacon expressing sexual interest in children and requesting child sexual abuse material. In one exchange cited in court documents, Tooman allegedly messaged "Whatcha wanna see pedo?" After Tacon reportedly told him what he wanted to see, he received at least a dozen videos containing child sexual abuse material.

In one exchange cited in court documents, Tooman allegedly wrote that he wished they could "find a kiddo and have our way together," to which Tacon allegedly replied using profane language expressing agreement.

In November, the FBI searched Tacon's home and seized his phone. When investigators dialed the number from the messages, that phone rang, according to federal documents.

In a statement, Arbor Wellness Center said its "first priority was, as always, ensuring client safety and continuity of care. There is no indication that these charges are related to the agency or its clients. Mr. Tacon was an independent contractor on a limited contract and is no longer a part of the agency."

Joshua Ronnebaum is a prominent environmental and immigration attorney who lives in Detroit's Palmer Woods neighborhood and served on the Palmer Woods Association Board of Directors. Just over a year ago, Pride Source interviewed Ronnebaum for a feature about the neighborhood's annual Holiday Home Tour, where he spoke about community values and historic preservation.

According to the federal complaint, Ronnebaum allegedly exchanged messages with Tooman from June 2022 to July 2023 about abusing children. Tooman reportedly told authorities they met to use drugs, have sex and watch child sexual abuse material. Ronnebaum reportedly told Tooman he lived in a Detroit mansion with three other men.

A search warrant was executed on Ronnebaum's home in November. According to the complaint, investigators seized 38 media storage devices, including an iPhone that was allegedly on the nightstand next to Ronnebaum's bed. The phone's screen was reportedly displaying a prompt asking if the user wanted to confirm deletion of the Telegram app.

Another phone found in his closet allegedly contained over 150 illegal images, including material depicting infants and toddlers. Text messages reportedly found on Ronnebaum's phone included references to him working as an English teacher in Japan and allegedly abusing a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old boy. He allegedly shared details of that abuse with several people online.

Lincoln Erickson is a rehabilitation doctor who worked at Detroit Medical Center's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. He has since been fired. "The individual in question has been terminated from the joint WSU-DMC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program," Detroit Medical Center said in a statement.

According to federal documents, conversations on Ronnebaum's phone allegedly showed Erickson and Ronnebaum discussing wanting to travel to Thailand and sexually abuse children together. Court documents quote one message from Erickson as reading, "Love being a pedo."

The FBI alleges that Erickson shared in messages a fantasy about having a relationship with a man where they would raise a child together that they would abuse and groom "from baby to adulthood." Messages also allegedly included Erickson stating he knows a father who allows him to sexually abuse his 3-year-old son.

Erickson was arrested at a Detroit hospital where he was a medical resident. He allegedly admitted receiving what he believed was AI-generated child pornography from a man in Chicago. Investigators allege a Telegram chat on his phone showed him requesting more videos and writing, "Bro, I love other pedophiles. So hot."

Erickson is currently on probation for a 2024 domestic violence case. During his Dec. 16 federal court hearing, prosecutors described Erickson as having a history of domestic violence and threatening behavior, according to widely reported information. Court documents also allege he attempted to impregnate an adult woman whom the defense described as his best friend.

During Erickson's hearing, prosecutors presented evidence of his alleged interactions with the father of three minors, including phone sex and in-person meetings, as well as disturbing messages regarding the children. The defense labeled the discussions as "roleplay and fantasy," while the judge found the allegations alarming.

Ronnebaum and Erickson appeared in federal court on Dec. 16. Both were ordered to remain in custody without bond. Court records do not indicate whether Tacon has had an initial appearance.

A conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material carries a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison.

Community impact

Ronnebaum's arrest has sent shockwaves through Detroit's Palmer Woods neighborhood, where he had been an active community leader and served on the Palmer Woods Association Board of Directors.

In a November 2024 interview with Pride Source about the neighborhood's annual Holiday Home Tour, Ronnebaum described the Palmer Woods neighborhood as embodying a "culture of openness."

"People want to make the community better, make Detroit better — both in terms of architectural contributions and in terms of cultural contributions," he said. "We are a community that understands the value of giving back," he added.

Pride Source has reached out to the Palmer Woods Association for comment.

Multiple sources have contacted Pride Source to indicate they recognize Erickson from dating apps like Grindr. These reports have not been verified.

Prominent Metro Detroiters are speaking out about the case on social media. On Facebook, Wayne Underwear founder Perry Wayne has been particularly outspoken. Alongside screenshots of the ClickOn Detroit story, he posted, “Cried all morning… Knowing that these are pillars of the community makes me sick to my stomach. I’m begging people to please do better. 😞💔“

In a follow up reel, Perry wrote, “Thank you to everyone who supported and stood with me. Speaking up about protecting children and raising awareness matters. I appreciate those who understand that vigilance and accountability are acts of care, not harm.” In a second slide, he added, “Silence tends to protect harm more than protect the innocent.”