Manchester man charged with 82 child pornography offenses after alleged AI-generated images discovered on cellphone

MANCHESTER — A Clay County man is facing 82 felony child pornography charges after Kentucky State Police allege he used artificial intelligence software to create sexually explicit images depicting two minors from otherwise innocent photographs.

James Scalf, 58, of Left Hand Fork of Billy's Branch, Manchester, was arrested following a Kentucky State Police investigation. He is currently lodged in the Clay County Detention Center.

According to an arrest citation filed by Kentucky State Police Trooper J. Mallory, the investigation began after authorities received a complaint involving suspected child pornography in Clay County.

The citation states that while Scalf was incarcerated in the Laurel County Correctional Center on unrelated charges, one of the alleged victims accessed his cellphone and discovered numerous AI-generated sexually explicit images involving herself and her sister. The discovery was reported to Kentucky State Police, who subsequently seized the cellphone and obtained a search warrant to examine its contents.

According to the citation, investigators determined that one of the alleged victims, who is now 22 years old, appeared in an original photograph that was time-stamped in 2015. Based on that date, investigators allege she was under the age of 12 when the photograph was taken. State police allege Scalf used an artificial intelligence application to create 18 sexually explicit images from that original photograph.

The investigation also identified a second alleged victim, now 17 years old. According to the arrest citation, investigators found 23 sexually explicit images allegedly generated from a single photograph depicting the juvenile fully clothed.

Following execution of the search warrant, Kentucky State Police charged Scalf with:

• 18 counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor Under 12;
• 18 counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor Under 12;
• 23 counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor; and
• 23 counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor.

The charges total 82 felony counts.

The case is among the first publicly known prosecutions in the region alleging the use of artificial intelligence technology to generate child sexual abuse material from photographs of actual minors. While AI-generated images have become increasingly common, law enforcement agencies nationwide have warned that the technology can be used to facilitate the sexual exploitation of children and may violate existing child pornography laws when actual minors are depicted.

Scalf remains incarcerated in the Clay County Detention Center pending court proceedings.

An arrest citation contains allegations that have not been proven in court. Scalf is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.