NJ Deputy Attorney General Arrested Over AI CSAM
New Jersey Deputy Attorney General Brian Richard Fitzgerald faces felony charges following an investigation into AI-generated child sexual abuse material linked to a Discord account.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Arrest of New Jersey Deputy Attorney General
New Jersey deputy attorney general Brian Richard Fitzgerald was arrested on felony charges related to artificially generated illicit material, as detailed in a official [press release](https://www.buckscounty.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/1647) issued by Bucks County Detectives.
Officials accused the 51-year-old state prosecutor of utilizing artificial intelligence to transform real-world social media photographs of minors into sexualized images. These generated files were subsequently distributed across social media platforms, according to the findings released by investigators.
Digital Forensics and Discord Investigation
The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip regarding an illicit image shared by a Discord user in July. Cops utilized digital forensics, subscriber records, and associated Internet protocol addresses to trace the activity directly to Fitzgerald's home address.
During a subsequent search, authorities recovered prompts and scripts designed to create artificially generated child sexual abuse material via an AI program. Furthermore, investigators found Discord chat logs under the username "thegentlemanpervert_2160_07833" where Fitzgerald allegedly admitted to producing and sharing multiple illicit images with other users.
Broader Law Enforcement Crackdown on AI CSAM
Law enforcement agencies in the United States have steadily increased enforcement efforts against artificial intelligence-related offenses. Such actions follow federal guidance issued after [one of the earliest arrests](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/05/csam-generated-by-ai-is-still-csam-doj-says-after-rare-arrest) prosecuted by the Department of Justice, which clarified that artificially generated illicit material remains legally classified as illegal abuse material.
Cases involving law enforcement or legal officials accused of exploiting artificial intelligence tools remain uncommon, though isolated incidents have surfaced nationally and internationally. Earlier this year, a Pennsylvania officer was [arrested for making AI porn from photos on driver’s licenses](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/state-police-corporal-created-porn-deepfakes-from-drivers-license-photos/), while similar overseas misconduct has also been [reported](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/law-crime/20261004/police-officer-arrested-over-ai-generated-sexual-deepfakes) by regional news outlets.
Charges and Official Response
Detectives confirmed that Fitzgerald has been formally charged with possession of illegal material, dissemination of relevant files, and the criminal use of a communication facility.
According to professional employment records, Fitzgerald had served as a deputy attorney general since 2016, focusing primarily on preparing insurance fraud and licensee cases for trial. Responding to the arrest, New Jersey district attorney Joe Khan emphasized that no individual is exempt from legal accountability.
"No one is above the law, least of all someone entrusted with upholding it," Khan stated, adding that the office will pursue such allegations aggressively regardless of the suspect's professional title or background.
Sources
- Ars Technica“thegentlemanpervert” producing AI CSAM is a NJ prosecutor, say cops
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