Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing AI Child Sex Abuse Images

Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Daniel Weatherly (42, Brownwood, TX) has pleaded guilty to possession of an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Weatherly faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Weatherly has also agreed to forfeit an iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Weatherly used an application on his cellphone to create and possess synthetic or "AI" images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail K. King.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.