Junior girls football coach in Lethbridge, Alta, faces multiple child sexual exploitation charges, including allegations of using artificial intelligence to make child pornography.
The suspect is allegedly used AI to manipulate images of a minor girl and sexualizes it, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (Alert) said Friday. He is accused of creating, distributing, owning, accessing, and sending intimate images without consent.
Alert's Internet Child Exploitation Force arrested the suspect on Wednesday with the help of Lethbridge Police Service. The investigation dates back to November last year, but the alert said the suspects facing the suspect had only just been identified recently.
Alert spokesman Mike Tucker said the incident was a “a whole new phenomenon” in Alberta.
“I think this is probably one of the first cases in Alberta. I've seen this, especially if it's been created in Alberta. It's very rare,” Tucker said.
“We're seeing the emergence of artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, this is like the worst example of how artificial intelligence is used.”
Alert's Internet Child Exploitation Unit is working to identify potential victims affected by the incident. The unit seized computers and other electronic devices from the suspect's home, which is being analyzed by forensic investigators.
Tucker hopes that athletes and parents who have been affected by the lawsuit within the Lethbridge women's football community will be able to find the support they need, adding that receiving information from the public is particularly important for the survey.
“Whenever you have a position of trust or authority like a coach, we need to be aware of the fact that someone on that team may have been influenced or have information,” Tucker said.
“We just want to provide a sense of security that we want to listen and if they want to call and share that information, we're happy to hear.”
Alert said the images were shared using the instant messaging app Kik Messenger.
The suspect was released from custody on various court-imposed conditions, including preventing anyone under the age of 18 from coaching. He is scheduled to appear in Lethbridge Court on August 8th.
