Antioch Man Accused of Generating AI Child Porn to Frame Relative's Mother

The suspect allegedly created sexually explicit videos of a child relative using AI before falsely reporting the material to police.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:41pm

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An extreme close-up of a cracked smartphone screen reflecting a faint, distorted image of a child's face, conveying the disturbing nature of the alleged crimes through a stark, investigative visual style.A harsh, gritty close-up of a damaged device used to create and conceal disturbing AI-generated child exploitation material.Antioch Today

Stuart M. Lowrey, 35, of unincorporated Antioch, Illinois, has been charged with five counts of producing child sexual abuse material after allegedly using AI technology to generate sexually explicit videos of a child relative. Lowrey initially reported the videos to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, claiming he was given a phone containing the material by an unknown woman, but investigators determined he had fabricated the story in an attempt to frame the child's mother during an ongoing custody dispute.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing threat of AI-generated child exploitation material and the lengths some perpetrators will go to in order to cover their tracks and shift blame. It also underscores the importance of thorough investigations and close collaboration between law enforcement and child welfare agencies to protect vulnerable victims.

The details

According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, on March 25, Lowrey reported to deputies that he was approached by an unknown woman who handed him a cell phone containing child pornography. Lowrey claimed he then discovered the videos, which depicted a young child relative, and reported the incident. However, detectives found inconsistencies in Lowrey's account and he eventually admitted to fabricating the story. Further investigation revealed that Lowrey had used an online service to generate the sexually explicit videos using photographs of the child and the child's mother, whom he was involved in a custody dispute with.

  • On March 25, Lowrey reported the incident to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
  • On March 25, detectives were called in to investigate further due to inconsistencies in Lowrey's account.
  • On Wednesday, an arrest warrant was approved charging Lowrey with five counts of producing child sexual abuse material.
  • On Wednesday, Lowrey was arrested at his home and additional electronic devices were seized.
  • On Thursday, Lowrey appeared for a detention hearing and was ordered held pending trial.

The players

Stuart M. Lowrey

A 35-year-old man from unincorporated Antioch, Illinois, who has been charged with five counts of producing child sexual abuse material after allegedly using AI technology to generate sexually explicit videos of a child relative.

Lake County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that investigated the case and arrested Lowrey.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)

The agency that took the child into protective custody during the investigation.

Lake County State's Attorney's Office

The office that reviewed the facts of the case and authorized the arrest warrant for Lowrey.

Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim

The judge who granted a petition to detain Lowrey pending trial.

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What they’re saying

“This is a disturbing case involving someone accused of deliberately creating videos that sexually exploit a child, then attempting to mislead deputies with a fabricated story. We take crimes against children and the most vulnerable very seriously and will pursue every lead to protect victims while holding offenders accountable.”

— Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg, Lake County Sheriff

“This is not a hobby. He's not collecting ships in a bottle or Pokemon cards. He's collecting child sexual abuse material.”

— Patrick Windmoeller, Lake County Assistant State's Attorney

What’s next

Lowrey is scheduled to appear in court again on April 29 for a preliminary hearing. Detectives say the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are likely.

The takeaway

This disturbing case highlights the growing threat of AI-generated child exploitation material and the need for robust law enforcement collaboration and strong penalties to protect vulnerable victims and hold perpetrators fully accountable.