Lake Charles, Louisiana - A Lake Charles man serving a federal sentence for a prior child exploitation conviction has been arrested after allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including images that appeared to be AI generated, according to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) received a call on December 11 regarding Daniel J. Broussard, 37, of Lake Charles, who was reported to be in possession of CSAM. CSAM is a legal term used to describe images or videos that involve the sexual abuse or exploitation of children.
Phone Seized At Halfway House
During the investigation, authorities learned that Broussard had a cell phone containing suspected CSAM, as well as material that appeared to be artificially generated images of child sexual abuse. AI-generated material, sometimes called “deepfakes,” uses artificial intelligence to create realistic but fake images or videos, which can raise serious legal and ethical concerns when minors are depicted.
Broussard was living at a local halfway house at the time as part of a 40-year federal sentence. That sentence stems from his 2011 federal conviction for using a facility in interstate commerce in an attempt to coerce a minor to engage in criminal sexual acts.
Halfway house staff seized the phone, which Broussard was not allowed to have under the terms of his supervision, and then contacted the Sheriff’s Office.
Charges Include Unlawful Deepfakes, Juvenile Pornography
Following the investigation, Broussard was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center. He is charged with:
- Unlawful deepfakes
- Pornography involving juveniles
- A federal detainer
Bond for Broussard is pending, according to CPSO.
The CPSO Special Victims Unit is leading the investigation, with Detective Senior Sgt. Alexander Vincent named as the lead investigator on the case.
The investigation remains ongoing under CPSO’s Special Victims Unit.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.