Montgomery Co. man arrested for child porn after allegedly using AI to alter girl's photo

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man was arrested for possession of child pornography after Montgomery County Precinct 3 officials say the suspect used artificial intelligence to alter a photo of a 17-year-old girl that depicted her nude.

Precinct 3 launched an investigation back in May on 30-year-old Roman Shoffner.

Shoffner is accused of using an AI program on his phone to alter a picture of a 17-year-old by removing her clothing. After the photo was altered, officials say the image depicted the 17-year-old's face, but her body was completely naked from the neck down.

"Regardless of if he thought it was a big deal or a joke, this is pretty serious," Lt. Ken Washington with Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office said.

Washington said someone saw the photo Shoffner allegedly had created and reported it to the police. It is unclear where that person saw the photo.

Shoffner's relationship with the teen girl is unknown, but Washington said law enforcement made her aware of the photo.

"At the pace that artificial intelligence is moving right now, whether it voices or someone's face or whatever, we are trying to keep up with training those resources," Washington said. "We're going to find those individuals. I wish I could say that this is something that's going to stop, but you know we wouldn't have the laws on the book if it weren't something that was obviously changing every day."

Shoffner's phone was seized and analyzed by a forensics team. Precinct 3 detectives said they found enough probable cause to believe Shoffner created the picture of the 17-year-old with intentions of possessing child pornography.

He was arrested last Friday and booked into the Montgomery County Jail. He is no longer listed as being in custody.

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