Beaver County Man altered images to depict himself harming children
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against two Western Pennsylvania men regarding separate child sexual abuse material investigations — both cases involving artificially-generated files.
Kenneth C. Klink, 62, is charged with 66 felonies regarding possession of files, including images he artificially altered to depict himself abusing children.
Klink, of Beaver Falls, was recently arraigned and bail was set at $500,000 cash.
Joshua J. Crockett, 43, is charged with 33 felonies for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, including one count for an artificially-generated file.
Crockett, of Vestaburg, was arraigned and bail was set at $750,000 cash.
“Both of these cases involved proactive investigations by our agents that uncovered vile materials depicting children being abused,” Attorney General Sunday said. “These cases illustrate the horrific side of modern technology, with one defendant sharing files online and the other defendant using A.I. technology to depict himself committing heinous acts.”
The Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section received tips that led to search warrants and the recovery of electronic devices that revealed the files.
The Office of Attorney General has now charged six people with possessing artificially-generated child sexual abuse material since a law went into effect in December 2024 criminalizing the conduct.
The cases will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver and Deputy Attorney General Alison Bragle. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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