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By Alex Littlehales, WRAL enterprise reporter
A Wake County teenager now faces a 10th felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor after police accused him of using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of underage girls
WRAL first reported last week that the juvenile faced nine Class E felony charges for allegedly using AI to create the images. Knightdale police have since confirmed that a 10th charge has been filed against the same teenager
The new charge involves the daughter of a parent who spoke anonymously with WRAL last week. The parent expressed frustration that prosecutors had not initially filed a charge involving the manipulated images of her daughter
In a new development, that victim will now be added to the investigation, accounting for the tenth and latest charge in the Knightdale Police investigation.
“To protect the integrity of this active and ongoing criminal investigation, the Knightdale Police Department will not be releasing any additional information or providing further comment at this time,” a department spokesperson said
Several local parents have contacted WRAL, alleging that their daughters were victims connected to the juvenile investigation. The parents said their daughters learned over the summer that their photos had allegedly been altered using artificial intelligence to depict them in a sexually explicit manner
Parents say non-explicit photos were taken from variousntly unclear from the investigation how many girls may be victims of having their photos manipulated.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation. In accordance with North Carolina law, no additional information regarding the identities of those involved or other details of the investigation will be released, as the case involves juvenile victims and a juvenile offender,” a Knightdale spokesperson said
“The Knightdale Police Department remains committed to protecting children, thoroughly investigating crimes, and holding offenders accountable under the law.”
Examining North Carolina’s sexual exploitation laws
In 2024, state lawmakers updated North Carolina’s sexual extortion laws to include language prohibiting the use of “artificial intelligence” as a means of producing pornographic material:
Pictures, drawings, video recordings, films or other visual or physical depictions or representations, including digital or computer-generated visual depictions or representations created, adapted, or modified by technological means, such as algorithms or artificial intelligence, but not material consisting entirely of written words
The teen boy whom Knightdale Police are investigating is charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. That is defined in state law as anyone who:
(1) Records, photographs, films, develops, or duplicates material that contains a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity
(2) Distributes, transports, exhibits, receives, sells, purchases, exchanges, or solicits material that contains a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity or that has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaged in sexual activity
(3) Distributes, transports, exhibits, receives, sells, purchases, exchanges, or solicits a child sex doll
Parents who have spoken to WRAL on the condition of anonymity expressed concern that content that would be viewed as sexually explicit to the general public is not considered the same in the eyes of the law.
Joseph Hyde, assistant professor of public law and government at the University of North Carolina’s School of Government, confirmed that the language “engaged in sexual activity” may disqualify certain images from falling under the sexual exploitation statute.
“Display does not constitute sexual activity unless the display is of the genitals or pubic area,” Hyde said. “In sum, the display of the female breast(s) alone would not constitute sexual activity for purposes of our sexual exploitation statutes.”
