First US Conviction Under Federal AI 'Take It Down Act' in Ohio

An Ohio man has become the first person in the United States to be convicted under a federal statute targeting the non-consensual publication of AI-generated intimate imagery. James Strahler II, 37, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges including cyberstalking, the production of obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, and the publication of digital forgeries.

The Take It Down Act

The conviction marks a significant milestone for the Take It Down Act, which was signed into law by Donald Trump last May. The legislation, which saw lobbying efforts from First Lady Melania Trump, prohibits the knowing publication or threatened publication of intimate images without consent, specifically including AI-generated "deepfakes." Under the law, social media platforms and websites are required to remove such content within 48 hours of a victim’s request.
Dominick Gerace II, the US attorney for the southern district of Ohio, stated that the Department of Justice will not tolerate the practice of publicizing AI-generated intimate images of individuals without their consent. "We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to hold accountable offenders like Strahler, who seek to intimidate and harass others by creating and circulating this disturbing content," Gerace said.

A Pattern of Harassment and Exploitation

Prosecutors detailed a campaign of harassment spanning from December 2025 to June 2025, during which Strahler targeted at least six adult women. According to court documents, Strahler sent these victims harassing messages containing both real and AI-generated nude images. In one instance, he purportedly used AI to create pornographic videos depicting an adult victim engaging in sexual activity with her father, subsequently distributing the material to the victim's co-workers.
The harassment extended to the families of the victims as well. Prosecutors alleged that Strahler contacted the mothers of the women, demanding nude photographs of their daughters and threatening to circulate the explicit AI-generated images he had created if they did not comply. Furthermore, investigators reported that Strahler left voicemails for his victims in which he masturbated or issued threats of rape.

Child Sexual Abuse Material

In addition to the charges involving adult victims, Strahler faced accusations regarding the creation of obscene material involving minors. Prosecutors stated that he used the faces of minor boys from his community, superimposing them onto the bodies of adults or other children to create obscene videos.
In total, authorities claim Strahler produced more than 700 images of both real victims and animated persons, which he then posted to a website dedicated to child sexual abuse. Strahler’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the guilty plea.