WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — A 51-year-old West Lafayette man used photos of real girls posted on Facebook to make child porn using artificial intelligence, according to court records.
Edward Finkler, of the 200 block of Hartman Court in West Lafayette, told investigators on Friday that he created and distributed the child porn found in his Dropbox account, according to a probable cause affidavit. The photos showed children younger than 12 engaged in sexual activities, according to prosecutors.
Indiana has laws against creating AI porn depicting children, West Lafayette police Lt. Jon Eager said Tuesday, noting AI porn is becoming more common. It is also common for those who create AI child porn to use pictures of children posted on social media sites, Eager said.
West Lafayette police received a tip in December about Finkler’s alleged child porn from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Finkler’s LinkedIn account describes him as a software engineer, mentor and mental health advocate. He also is the founder of Open Source Mental Illness, a not-for-profit “corporation dedicated to raising awareness, educating and providing resources to support mental wellness in the tech and open source communities,” according to its website.
Finkler has been in jail since Friday on suspicion of child exploitation. He is being held without bond until he is seen by the court.
Prosecutors have until Wednesday afternoon to file formal charges, at which time Finkler will have an initial hearing and the amount of his bail will be set.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: West Lafayette man suspected of creating AI child porn
Reporting by Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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By Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier | USA TODAY Network
