Texas man accused of taking photos of women he knows and turning into AI porn, records allege

GRIMES COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Grimes County man is among the two suspects accused of posting thousands of deepfake pornographic images of actresses, singers, and political figures, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Federal authorities said the suspects were in violation of the "Take It Down Act," which prohibits nonconsensual publication of AI-generated digital porn, federal prosecutors said.

Arturo Hernandez, 20, of Bedias, Texas, and Cornelius Shannon of New Jersey, were charged in separate criminal complaints with posting thousands of images and videos that appeared to depict real people naked or engaging in a sex act.

Authorities said that since May 2025, Hernandez has published about 113 albums on the website, which contain deepfake content depicting about 50 different women, including individuals who are not public figures and some he allegedly knew. Authorities said the content Hernandez published was viewed nearly a million times.

"As alleged, the defendants used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded and violated victims across the United States," United States Attorney Joseph Nocella said. "This case makes clear that posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime."

The FBI is urging that anyone who is aware of non-consensually published intimate visual depictions posted on the internet contact authorities through their website or 1-800-CALL-FBI.