Texas DPS Staff Sergeant Arrested for CSAM Possession Including AI-Generated Deepfakes
A Texas Department of Public Safety staff sergeant was arrested after his wife discovered a hard drive containing child sexual abuse material and AI-generated deepfakes of minors and DPS employees. The material included deepfake images of female children under 18 and non-consensual intimate imagery of current DPS female employees created using artificial intelligence.
What happened
Preston Wade Pietrzykowski, a Texas Department of Public Safety staff sergeant, was arrested on March 3 after his wife discovered a hard drive containing child sexual abuse material and deepfake images. While searching for signs of infidelity in February, his wife found the hard drive in his luggage and discovered multiple nude images of minor girls, including one she identified as 16 years old at the time the photo was taken.
Investigation by Texas Rangers and special agents revealed the hard drive contained multiple AI-generated deepfake images of female children under 18 with genitals exposed, as well as deepfake videos and pictures of current DPS female employees' faces modified using an artificial intelligence application to expose intimate body parts.
Reported impact
Multiple minor girls were depicted in AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Current DPS female employees had their faces used without consent in deepfake sexual imagery.
Index analysis
An artificial intelligence application was used to create deepfake images depicting minors in sexual contexts and to generate non-consensual intimate imagery of DPS employees.
Governance controls
Pietrzykowski was immediately suspended from his position following his arrest. His peace officer license remained active according to Texas Commission On Law Enforcement records at the time of reporting.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.