The first big online AI scandal of 2026 is playing out in real-time in Albuquerque this week following the arrest of a 39-year-old local man accused of using AI to create child pornography.
Special Agents from the New Mexico Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force took the man into custody for allegedly using artificial intelligence to manufacture child sexual abuse material.
A search of the man’s phone found several photos of nude children, according to court documents reviewed by NM Political Report. One photo allegedly showed an aroused nude man standing next to a prepubescent nude female. The image “showed signs of digital editing,” including an extra arm on the child and “irregular images and lighting inconsistencies, including the addition of [the suspect’s] face to the man’s body.” Investigators allege the defendant used readily available AI applications, including Polyverse, to digitally manipulate innocuous photos of children taken from the internet, converting them into sexually explicit nude images.
Consistent with our newsroom policy, we do not identify the names of individuals accused of crimes while their cases are pending trial.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez described the arrest as a “powerful warning” to those attempting to weaponize generative AI. He also urged state policymakers in Santa Fe to update legal frameworks to better protect citizens from the unique dangers posed by this rapidly evolving technology.
The investigation began in September 2025 following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. By tracking an IP address to a specific phone number, agents were able to identify the user’s residence and obtain a search warrant.
This arrest comes amid heightened global scrutiny of AI platforms like Grok, which has faced backlash for allowing users to generate nonconsensual “nudified” deepfake images of women and minors.