CARIZO SPRINGS, Texas – A Carrizo Springs man is accused of using artificial intelligence tools to create hundreds of pornographic images and videos involving local children, including manipulating photos taken from school-related pages in South Texas, according to investigators.
The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that its Criminal Investigation Division, working with the FBI and the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Adan Covarrubias, 31, earlier this month. DPS said Covarrubias was charged with a felony count of possession of computer-generated child pornography, and the charges were made possible under Senate Bill 20, passed last Congress.
“As the accessibility and use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology becomes increasingly prevalent in modern society, we must remember that there are those who will use these tools for evil,” said DPS CID Commissioner Floyd Goodwin. “Fortunately in Texas, we have new laws that will help hold accountable those who harm our children. As AI grows, incidents like this one are likely to occur. So parents, please talk to your children about safety online and in public spaces, and encourage them to speak up when they see or hear something that doesn’t seem right.”
“As technology advances, criminals continue to exploit advanced tools such as artificial intelligence to harm children and create child sexual abuse materials,” said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge, FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Protecting our most vulnerable populations, our children, is a shared priority for all of our law enforcement and community partners. The FBI uses advanced investigative techniques and collaborative partners to identify and bring criminals to justice, such as in this case. We commend the Dimmit Co. Sheriff’s Office for their cooperation with the FBI and thank the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Maverick Co. District Attorney’s Office for their swift action in moving forward with the investigation and related state charges. ”
In April 2026, DPS announced that FBI Del Rio obtained consent to search and seize electronic devices at Covarrubias’ Carizo Springs residence as part of a months-long AI-generated child pornography investigation. Investigators said they identified more than 900 images and videos created by Covarrubias, including AI-generated pornographic images depicting prepubescent and adolescent children. DPS said it also identified multiple non-AI-generated pornographic images of children among the digital evidence seized.
DPS said that upon further investigation, law enforcement determined that Covarrubias took photos from open source pages related to schools in South Texas and manipulated them through AI tools to “undress” the children. According to the agency, about 30 child victims have been confirmed so far.
According to DPS, Mr. Covarrubias was arrested and booked into the Dimmit County Jail on May 19, 2026, on a charge of possession of computer-generated child pornography, which the agency describes as a first-degree felony.
Senate Bill 20, passed and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last year, created a new state prison felony for possessing or promoting obscene visual material that appears to depict children. This law covers visual depictions of minors in obscene acts, regardless of whether the depiction is a real child, a cartoon or animation, or an image created using artificial intelligence or other computer software.
DPS urged Texans to report suspicious activity through iWatchTexas by using the iWatchTexas mobile app, online at www.iwatchtx.org, or by calling 1-844-643-2251. The agency said iWatchTexas is not designed to report emergencies and that you should call 911 if you need emergency response.
DPS said Texans can also report suspected online and offline child sexual exploitation to the FBI through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org) or 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
