AI Nightmare: Psychiatrist Doctor, David Tatum, Receives 40-Year Sentence For Abusing AI To Create Child Pornography

In Charlotte, N.C., a 40-year prison sentence has been handed down to a child psychiatrist for utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to produce child pornography. This individual, identified as David Tatum, 41, went to the extreme of secretly recording his 15-year-old cousin during her shower, as disclosed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of North Carolina.

Tatum's despicable actions involved modifying pictures of ex-girlfriends with explicit images of minors obtained online, creating AI-generated images. He digitally altered innocent photos from a school dance and the first day of school, transforming them into sexually explicit content, prosecutors revealed.

The disturbing revelation indicates Tatum's consumption of over 1,000 files of child pornography, all labeled with the phrase "PTHC," representing "pre-teen hard core." Court documents, as reported by Fox News Digital, state that he possessed this illicit material from 2016 to 2021.

The depravity extended to Tatum's secret recordings of other family members, including minors, in compromising situations within a bathroom. Shockingly, this included his 15-year-old cousin at a family vacation home in Maine.

Trial evidence further exposed Tatum's surreptitious recordings of his patients, even a newly turned 18-year-old, demonstrating a disturbing breach of trust. In May, Tatum was convicted on multiple counts, including the production, transportation, and possession of child pornography, leading to a 40-year prison sentence followed by 30 years of supervised release.

Post-release obligations include registration with the Sex Offender Registry Board, with additional assessments totaling $99 and $100 per count of conviction. Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, emphasized the gravity of Tatum's crimes, given his role as a child psychiatrist.

King stated, "Tatum knew the damaging, long-lasting impact sexual exploitation has on the well-being of victimized children," condemning his use of AI to victimize children. The 40-year sentence reflects the commitment to justice for child victims amid advancing AI technology.

Robert DeWitt, Special Agent in charge of the FBI in North Carolina, echoed King's sentiments, expressing horror at the inconceivable actions of someone entrusted to help children through mental health challenges. 

He affirmed the FBI's relentless efforts to ensure predators like Tatum face lengthy imprisonment for their crimes.

 

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