Ohio Man First Convicted Under New Federal Deepfakes Law

James Strahler pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, producing child sexual abuse material, and publishing digital forgeries.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:23am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered smartphone screen, the cracked glass reflecting a faint red light, conceptually illustrating the aftermath of a cybercrime incident.A shattered digital device reflects the harsh reality of non-consensual deepfake imagery and the legal crackdown on this emerging cybercrime.Columbus Today

An Ohio man named James Strahler, 37, has become the first person in the U.S. convicted under the new federal Take It Down Act for using AI-generated, sexually explicit images of women to harass and intimidate them. Strahler pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, producing obscene visuals of child sexual abuse material, and publishing digital forgeries.

Why it matters

The Take It Down Act, passed in 2025, criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated 'deepfake' revenge pornography. This case highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology being used to abuse and exploit victims, and the new legal tools being deployed to combat this emerging crime.

The details

Prosecutors accused Strahler of using AI to create non-consensual images and videos of adult women and minors, generating over 700 images of both real victims and animated people. He would then send harassing messages to his adult victims. Strahler had more than 24 AI platforms and 100 AI web-based models installed on his phone to create the abusive content.

  • In December 2024, Strahler began sending messages to at least six adult females that included real and AI-generated nude images.
  • In June 2025, Strahler was arrested on federal charges related to his criminal conduct.
  • On April 7, 2026, Strahler pleaded guilty to the charges.

The players

James Strahler

A 37-year-old Ohio man who pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, producing obscene visuals of child sexual abuse material, and publishing digital forgeries under the new federal Take It Down Act.

Dominick Gerace

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, who stated that Strahler is believed to be the first person convicted under the Take It Down Act's provision on publishing digital forgeries.

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What they’re saying

“We will not tolerate the abhorrent practice of posting and publicizing AI-generated intimate images of real individuals without consent. We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to hold accountable offenders like Strahler.”

— Dominick Gerace, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio

What’s next

Strahler will be sentenced at a later date for his crimes.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology being used to abuse and exploit victims, and the new legal tools being deployed to combat this emerging crime. It underscores the importance of strong privacy protections and ethical standards around the use of AI.