HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a Butler County man who used the internet to disseminate artificially-generated child sexual abuse material, as well as stalk a former partner by repeatedly posting intimate photos of them.
Benjamin T. Staiger, of Harmony, is facing numerous charges — including dozens of felony counts of sexual abuse of children — filed Friday by the Office of Attorney General.
Staiger, 20, was arrested at his home Thursday and arraigned Friday, when bail was set at $100,000. Bail was posted, and the defendant will be on electronic monitoring.
“This case demonstrates the depth of depravity and exploitation available to bad actors who choose to weaponize modern technology and social media,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The defendant repeatedly abused and exploited multiple victims with a barrage of online postings. His days of hiding behind a social media handle while causing long-lasting harm and humiliation are over.”
In all, Staiger is charged with 42 felony counts of sexual abuse of children and felony criminal use of a communication facility, and misdemeanor counts of stalking, invasion of privacy, and unlawful dissemination of intimate images.
The Office of Attorney General, through its investigation, identified several victims who were depicted in photographs posted by Staiger, primarily on X/Twitter. Some of the victims were children when they were photographed, and those photographs were then artificially-altered to appear as “deepfakes.”
Other photographs depicted photographs of victims engaged in intimate activities. None of the victims consented to the public postings, which appeared in recent months.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver of the Child Predator Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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