Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist arrested in Calif. on child pornography charges

A PULITZER PRIZE WINNING CARTOONIST HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA FOR ALLEGEDLY BEING IN POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND DETECTIVES SAY SOME OF THE IMAGES WERE CREATED USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SERVED A SEARCH WARRANTED ON 49-YEAR-OLD DARRIN BELL’S HOME WEDNESDAY AFTER AUTHORITIES SAID THEY RECEIVED A TIP FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN.

THE TIP WAS IN RELATION TO SOMEONE UPLOADING 18 FILES CONTAINING CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL.

INVESTIGATORS, INSTEAD, SAID THEY FOUND 134 VIDEOS OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY LOCATED AND LINKED TO THE SAME ACCOUNT WHICH THEY SAY WAS CONTROLLED BY BELL.

PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST POSSESSION OF COMPUTER-GENERATED CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL WAS NOT AGAINST THE LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

HOWEVER, CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS PASSED A BILL CRIMINALIZING AI-GENERATED CHILD PORN CONTENT IN SEPTEMBER AND GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED THE LEGISLATION INTO LAW.

CO-AUTHOR OF THE BILL, CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR MARC BERMAN (D-PALO ALTO) SAID: “SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, ‘WELL, THERE’S NO VICTIM,’ BECAUSE THE IMAGE IS NOT OF AN ACTUAL CHILD, BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT ALL THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHOSE IMAGES WERE USED, SCRAPED OFF THE INTERNET, SCRAPED OFF OF SCHOOL WEBSITES, SCRAPED OFF OF PUBLIC SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES… ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN ARE ABUSED WHEN THEIR IMAGES ARE USED TO CREATE THIS TERRIBLE CONTENT.”

THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST ARREST WHERE A SUSPECT WAS CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF COMPUTER-GENERATED OR AI CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL.

IT’S UNCLEAR, THOUGH, IF THIS CALIFORNIA LAW WILL STAND.

IN 2002 THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN PORTIONS OF THE FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY PREVENTION ACT OF 1996 ULTIMATELY RULING THAT GRAPHIC MANIPULATION OF IMAGES – EVEN IF THEY DEPICT CHILDREN APPEARING TO ENGAGE IN SEX IS PROTECTED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

IT’S ALSO UNCLEAR IF ALL OF THE IMAGES ALLEGEDLY IN BELL’S POSSESSION WERE COMPUTER GENERATED OR REAL.

BELL IS CURRENTLY IN CUSTODY AND BEING HELD ON $1 MILLION BAIL AND IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT ON JANUARY 17.