Stephen Kamnik allegedly committed the crimes using Commonwealth devices, during his work duties
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the filing of new charges against a Pennsylvania State Police Corporal who kept a cache of pornography, including child sexual abuse material and lewd images and videos he created using artificial intelligence.
Stephen Kamnik allegedly created the material while on-duty at Montgomery County barracks, on Commonwealth-owned devices. Kamnik is also charged with secretly filming dozens of individuals he came into contact with while on police duty, and with repeatedly entering a women’s locker room at state police barracks and taking photos.
Pennsylvania State Police, in consultation with the Office of Attorney General, charged Kamnik on Wednesday with numerous felonies, including sexual abuse of children, unlawful use of a computer, criminal trespass, and violations of wiretap law.
Kamnik, 38, of Havertown, was arraigned Wednesday on the new charges. His bail is set at $500,000 cash.
Kamnik is currently suspended without pay.
“This defendant swore an oath to protect and serve the people of the Commonwealth and in doing so was entrusted with resources to uphold that oath. Instead, he used his power and the trust placed in him to prey on innocent and unsuspecting coworkers and create sexually abusive material, some involving depictions of children,” Attorney General Sunday said. “His alleged conduct is an affront to Pennsylvania State Police Troopers and law enforcement officers everywhere who honorably protect our communities every day.”
Kamnik was previously charged with felony unauthorized use of a computer and misdemeanor misapplication of entrusted property. Those charges were withdrawn and replaced with the new charges.
An investigation by the Internal Affairs Division of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Office of Attorney General revealed that Kamnik allegedly misused Commonwealth computer resources for years for his own personal sexual gratification, including the creation of A.I.-generated pornography of numerous female citizens of Pennsylvania.
His cellphone and an external hard drive from his home revealed evidence that he also used a secured database, JNET, to obtain hundreds of photographs — in violation of JNET usage policies.
Among the materials investigators found was a “deepfake” video of a Montgomery County magisterial district judge during a court proceeding.
Investigators also discovered that Kamnik had a .22-caliber handgun, which was reported stolen from a burglary in Berks County in 2010.
In all, Kamnik is charged with:
- 2 counts of felony sexual abuse of children
- 28 counts of felony unlawful use of a computer
- 4 of those counts for use of general unlawful uses and 24 specific counts regarding 24 female victims
- 517 counts of unlawful duplication
- 35 counts of interception, disclosure or use of wire, electronic or oral communications
- 9 counts of criminal trespass
- 7 counts of official oppression
- 6 counts of invasion of privacy,
- 1 count of receiving stolen property (of a firearm)
- 1 count of misapplication of entrusted property
- 1 count of unlawful use of an audio or video device in court
- 1 count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General James Price of the Public Corruption Section and Deputy Attorney General Kimberly Moraski 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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