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Austin Pittman, a 35-year-old Hilliard man, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for using AI to morph images of real minors into child pornography. Pittman distributed these images on online chat platforms, including Kik messenger, where he shared explicit content depicting an adult sexually abusing a child. The investigation began in January 2025, when the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received multiple cyber tipline reports regarding Pittman’s activity. A search warrant executed at Pittman’s residence in April 2025 led to the seizure of numerous devices, including his cell phone, which contained secretly recorded images and videos of real children.
Pittman pleaded guilty in December 2025 to distributing child pornography and using AI to alter images of minors. The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual abuse material. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole, with Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski representing the United States in the case.
The investigation revealed that Pittman had been the target of a previous investigation at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he uploaded 47 files of child pornography to Kik in 2024. Pittman’s use of AI to morph images of real minors into child pornography is a disturbing trend in the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The sentence sends a strong message to those who would exploit and harm children for their own gratification. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies, including the Franklin County ICAC Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is crucial in bringing perpetrators like Pittman to justice.
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