Bedias Man Arrested By FBI For AI Deepfake Pornography

By Staff Writer

BEDIAS, TEXAS – Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have charged two men with violating the TAKE IT DOWN Act, marking one of the first criminal cases brought under the year‑old federal law that prohibits the nonconsensual publication of AI generated deepfake pornography.

Cornelius Shannon, 51, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, of Bedias, Texas, were arrested Wednesday after federal complaints were unsealed in Brooklyn. Shannon was taken into custody in New Jersey and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross‑Goldenberg. Hernandez was arrested in Texas and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

According to prosecutors, both men allegedly created and posted thousands of AI‑generated pornographic images and videos that falsely depicted real women — including actresses, singers, elected officials, and acquaintances nude or engaged in sexual acts. Hernandez is additionally accused of posting hundreds of deepfake sexual depictions of non-public figures, including women he did not personally know.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. and FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. announced the arrests.

“Posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime,” Nocella said, emphasizing that the new law gives federal authorities the tools to pursue offenders who weaponize AI to inflict “psychological, reputational, and financial abuse.”

Barnacle called the conduct “a disturbing abuse of technology,” adding that the FBI will pursue those who use AI tools to violate victims’ privacy and dignity.

Federal filings state that since May 19, 2025, Shannon uploaded at least 360 albums of deepfake pornography to an adult‑content platform, depicting approximately 90 identifiable female victims. The images and videos were viewed millions of times, according to investigators.

Hernandez allegedly posted 113 albums containing deepfake content depicting roughly 50 identifiable women, including private individuals. Many albums began with real, non‑explicit photos of the victims that then morphed into sexually explicit deepfakes. Prosecutors say the content was viewed nearly one million times.

Passed by Congress on April 28, 2025, the TAKE IT DOWN Act (short for Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act) criminalizes the nonconsensual publication of intimate images, including AI‑generated forgeries. The law targets both “revenge porn” and synthetic deepfake material designed to simulate real individuals.

If convicted, Shannon and Hernandez each face up to two years in federal prison.

Reporting Non‑Consensual Images

Victims or witnesses of nonconsensual intimate imagery can report incidents through:

• Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): https://www.ic3.gov/
• FBI Tip Line: 1‑800‑CALL‑FBI (1‑800‑225‑5324)

The Federal Trade Commission also operates TakeItDown.ftc.gov, where victims can report platforms that fail to remove nonconsensual intimate images or lack a removal process.

The case is being handled by the National Security & Cybercrime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow and Molly N. Delaney are leading the prosecution, with support from Investigator Jeffrey Tarkin and Paralegal Specialist Emily Woodruff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Madeline O’Connor is overseeing asset forfeiture.