Wayne County attorney accused of making CSAM of relatives presumably used AI software

Attorney accused of creating, sharing child abusive materials

A Wayne County attorney is accused of using real child porn material, then replacing the faces of those kids with children in his own family. He is also accused of sharing these photos and real nude photos of his ex-wife with others online. Forty-one-year-old Nelson Ropke is accused of having child abusive material. He has also been doled out 26 charges. 

WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Metro Detroit attorney is being held on a $1 million bond Wednesday night for allegedly creating and distributing child sexually abusive material (CSAM).

Note: This story contains disturbing details.

Big picture view:

Wayne County attorney Nelson Ropke, 41, is accused of using real CSAM then replacing the faces of those kids with children in his own family. He is also accused of sharing these photos and real nude photos of his ex-wife with others online.

"He did more than just that, he created it by putting faces of himself and family members on images of children engaging in sexual acts," said Tina Ripley from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

His own family, children and his ex-wife, then shared the AI creations with officials that Ropke allegedly generated.

Dig deeper:

AI expert Brent Yax says mainstream AI platforms flag child sexually abusive material, but on the dark web, you can find unregulated AI generators.

Police now have the technology to find people making these disturbing images. 

"Law enforcement has more tools to find people. Now you’re using AI to flag these photos. Realistically, this person may not have been caught 10 years ago," said Yax.

A major bond was set on Wednesday, $1 million, no 10%. The judge was very concerned that he was already on probation for an OWI out of Grosse Pointe Farms.

Charges

• Count One: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated (Maximum Penalty of 25 Years)
• Count Two: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated (Maximum Penalty of 25 Years)
• Count Three: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Distribution (Maximum Penalty of 15 Years)
• Count Four: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Distribution (Maximum Penalty of 15 Years)
• Count Five: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Distribution (Maximum Penalty of 15 Years)
• Count Six: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Distribution (Maximum Penalty of 15 Years)
• Count Seven: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Possession (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Eight: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Possession (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Nine: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Possession (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Ten: Child Sexually Abusive Activity - Aggravated Possession (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Eleven: Capturing/Distributing Image of Unclothed Person (Maximum Penalty of 5 Years)
• Count Twelve: Capturing/Distributing Image of Unclothed Person (Maximum Penalty of 5 Years)
• Count Thirteen: Possession of Child Sexually Abusive Matter (Maximum Penalty of 4 Years)
• Count Fourteen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 20 Years)
• Count Fifteen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 20 Years)
• Count Sixteen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Seventeen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Eighteen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Nineteen: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Twenty: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Twenty-One: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Twenty-Two: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Twenty-Three: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 10 Years)
• Count Twenty-Four: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 4 Years)
• Count Twenty-Five: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 4 Years)
• Count Twenty-Six: Using a Computer to Commit a Crime (Maximum Penalty of 4 Years)