COLUMBUS — An Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S District Court on Monday to two child pornography crimes.
Austin Pittman admitted to distributing images of real child pornography and using AI to morph videos and photos of real children, according to the Southern District of Ohio United States Attorney’s Office.
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News Center 7 previously reported that Pittman, 35, was arrested after allegedly creating Kik accounts and sharing AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
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In January of 2025, the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received multiple tips reporting Pittman’s activity on Kik.
On the app, Pittman allegedly distributed child pornography that depicted an adult sexually abusing a child, according to the Southern District of Ohio United States Attorney’s Office.
Further investigation revealed that Pittman also allegedly uploaded 47 files of child pornography to Kik in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 2024.
A search warrant that was served at Pittman’s residence in April led to the seizure of numerous devices. During the search of his phone, law enforcement officers found images and videos of real children that Pittman had access to, and secretly recorded and created some of the images himself.
Pittman then allegedly used AI programs to alter the images and videos to depict the minor females as fully nude.
Pittman was federally charged and arrested on April 29, 2025.
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