An Ohio man has become the first person in the United States to be convicted under a new federal AI statute, the Take It Down Act, after pleading guilty to cyberstalking and producing AI-generated sexually explicit images. James Strahler II, 37, admitted to charges including cyberstalking, producing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, and publication of digital forgeries, the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
Prosecutors said Strahler sent harassing messages to at least six adult women from December 2024 to June 2025, including both real and AI-created nude images. He allegedly used AI to create pornographic videos depicting an adult victim engaging in sexual activity with her father and distributed them to her co-workers. He also demanded nude images from the victims' mothers, threatening to circulate explicit images of their daughters if they refused.
Strahler further created over 700 AI-generated obscene images involving minors, using the faces of boys from his community and placing them on adult or child bodies. These were posted on a website dedicated to child sexual abuse. He also left voicemails of himself masturbating or threatening rape.
US Attorney Dominick Gerace II said: 'We believe Strahler is the first person in the United States to be convicted under the Take It Down Act. We will not tolerate the abhorrent practice of posting and publicizing AI-generated intimate images of real individuals without consent.'
The Take It Down Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in May 2025, prohibits non-consensual publication of intimate images, including AI deepfakes, and requires social media platforms to remove violating content within 48 hours of a victim's request. Melania Trump lobbied for the legislation.
