Des Plaines Man Charged in Investigation Into AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (Cook County, IL) – A Des Plaines man is facing felony charges after Cook County Sheriff’s Police say investigators found more than 70 files of child sexual abuse material on his computer, including images that had allegedly been altered or generated using artificial intelligence.
Adam Bakker, 44, was taken into custody Sept. 1 after sheriff’s investigators executed a search warrant at his residence in the 1400 block of East Oakton Street in Des Plaines.
The investigation began Feb. 27, when the Sheriff’s Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding suspected child sexual abuse material that had been downloaded from the internet and uploaded to a cloud-based service.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, investigators examined the material and confirmed that the files contained sexually explicit images involving children. Investigators then obtained additional search warrants targeting electronic and internet service providers.
Those records allegedly led investigators to an internet address associated with Bakker’s residence.
During the Sept. 1 search, authorities seized a desktop computer and arrested Bakker. Investigators said Bakker acknowledged downloading child pornography and using artificial intelligence to modify some of the images.
A subsequent forensic examination of the computer allegedly uncovered more than 70 files containing child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated images, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two felony charges against Bakker on Sept. 2: one count of obscene depiction of a purported child and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Bakker appeared at the Skokie Courthouse on Sept. 3 and was ordered into the custody of the Cook County Jail.
The case follows growing law-enforcement scrutiny of the use of artificial intelligence to create or manipulate sexually explicit material involving minors. The investigation was initiated after information was reported through NCMEC, which works with law enforcement agencies to identify and address suspected online child exploitation.
The charges are allegations, and Bakker is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Des Plaines Man Charged in Investigation Into AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
