Two Men Charged Under Deepfake Pornography Law
Federal prosecutors have charged Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities. Both men were arrested Tuesday under the Take It Down Act, a law signed by President Donald Trump last year that targets deepfake pornography.
Shannon and Hernandez are among the earliest defendants to face charges under the statute. They each face up to two years in prison if convicted.
Scale of the Operation
Shannon, a New Jersey resident, published at least 240 albums of AI-generated pornography featuring female politicians, musicians, and singers, according to the criminal complaint. The content drew millions of views online.
Hernandez's deepfakes included both celebrities and private women, including recent high school graduates. Prosecutors said the material targeted dozens of victims.
Legal Framework
The Take It Down Act, which drew bipartisan support and backing from First Lady Melania Trump, created strict penalties for publishing AI-created sexual content and "revenge porn." The law defines the offense broadly to cover deepfakes depicting minors as well as adults.
Joseph Nocella, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement that the men "used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded and violated" their victims. "This case makes clear that posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime," he added.
Growing Enforcement
The arrests reflect expanding prosecutions under the statute. Last month, an Ohio man became the first person convicted under the Take It Down Act after pleading guilty to generating child sexual abuse material with AI.
In March, two teenage boys in Pennsylvania received probation for creating explicit AI images of their classmates at a private school. A separate case filed earlier this year involved three teenagers in Tennessee who sued Elon Musk's xAI, claiming the company's Grok tool morphed their real photos into sexually explicit images.
Attorneys for Shannon and Hernandez did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
For Legal Professionals
These cases establish precedent under newly enacted legislation. Legal teams should understand the Take It Down Act's definitions, penalties, and burden of proof as courts develop case law. AI for Legal professionals may also benefit from understanding how AI detection and documentation practices apply in deepfake cases.
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