A 35-year-old man from the greater Detroit area has been charged with multiple counts of child pornography possession after investigators allegedly discovered more than 40,000 illegal images on his electronic devices. The man was turned in to authorities by his wife after he told her that the child porn images were not illegal because they were generated by AI.
Fox 2 Detroit reports that Austin McCarty of South Lyon, Michigan, faces serious criminal charges including three counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. The case originated from a report made by McCarty’s wife, who discovered a sexual image of a young girl on her husband’s computer on January 20, 2025.
When confronted about the disturbing discovery, McCarty allegedly told his wife that he had used an AI tool to generate sexually explicit deepfake images of children. This claim, however, did not prevent law enforcement from pursuing charges against him.
Following the initial report, police seized McCarty’s electronic devices for examination. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department conducted a comprehensive year-long forensic analysis of the defendant’s electronics. This extensive investigation revealed the staggering number of more than 40,000 images of child sexually abusive material police claim were in McCarty’s possession.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald addressed the case and the involvement of artificial intelligence technology, emphasizing that the use of AI does not exempt individuals from criminal liability. “Even as technology changes, the laws against child sexually abusive material remain constant,” McDonald said. “It doesn’t matter if images are created with AI or a camera; they represent the abuse of children. We will hold accountable anyone who would harm and sexually exploit children, regardless of the technology they use.”
The charges McCarty faces carry severe penalties. Aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. The charges of using a computer to commit a crime carry even harsher potential sentences, ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison.
Breitbart news reported last year that a school teacher in Florida was charged with using pictures of students to generate AI child pornography:
The news outlet also reported authorities believe McKeown used AI technology to create the pornographic images and may have used photos of real children, perhaps his own students. The investigation is continuing.
Detectives seized a number of devices from the teacher’s home in Holly Hill and from the school. He was booked into the Volusia County jail and a judge denied him the possibility of bond.
If convicted, he faces up to 315 years in prison, officials said.
Breitbart News social media director and author Wynton Hall explains in his instant bestseller, Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI, that conservatives must develop a plan to deal with the dark side of AI, whether it is used to indoctrinate students in the classroom or to sexualize and groom them.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, praised Code Red as a “must-read.” She added: “Few understand our conservative fight against Big Tech as Hall does,” making him “uniquely qualified to examine how we can best utilize AI’s enormous potential, while ensuring it does not exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.” Award-winning investigative journalist and Public founder Michael Shellenberger calls Code Red “illuminating,” ”alarming,” and describes the book as “an essential conversation-starter for those hoping to subvert Big Tech’s autocratic plans before it’s too late.”
Read more at Fox 2 Detroit here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of AI, free speech, and online censorship.
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