First Lady Supports Conviction Under New Anti-AI Law
On Tuesday, First Lady Melania Trump expressed her support via social media for the first conviction under a bill she advocated, aimed at banning AI-generated images associated with child sexual abuse and revenge porn.
James Straller, 37, entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Ohio, admitting to cyber crimes related to both real and AI-generated explicit images, as well as threats of violence against several individuals.
The First Lady expressed her gratitude shortly thereafter, stating, “Thank you U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace for protecting Americans from cybercrime in this new digital age,” in a post on X.
Prosecutors revealed that Straller had more than 24 AI applications and over 100 web-based AI models on his mobile device.
According to the Department of Justice, “The defendants used phone calls, voicemails, text messages, and online postings to create a harassment campaign targeting the victims.”
The specifics of Straller’s crimes, occurring between December 2024 and June 2025, are particularly disturbing, falling under the “Take It Down” law that has the backing of President Trump.
As detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Straller used AI to create a pornographic video showing an adult victim in an explicit scenario with his father, then shared these videos with the victim’s colleagues. He also contacted mothers, coercing them for explicit photos while threatening them with the distribution of obscene images involving their daughters if they refused. Furthermore, he frequently threatened one victim with graphic violence and identified their home address during these threats.
Straller additionally produced AI-generated obscene material featuring minors from his community, creating videos that depicted inappropriate scenarios involving them. Specifically, he crafted a video involving an underage boy and his family members in explicit acts.
The extent of this depravity does not end there. Prosecutors noted that Straller created over 700 images, both real and animated, which he published on a site dedicated to child sexual exploitation.
Investigators found around 2,400 additional images and videos on his device that were categorized as containing nudity, altered child abuse materials, and violent content.
Gerace confirmed that Straller marks the first individual in the nation to be convicted under the Take It Down Act, emphasizing a commitment to combat the distribution of intimate and non-consensual AI-generated imagery.
Last year, the First Lady was instrumental in lobbying for the Take It Down Act, which stipulates felonies for posting sexually explicit AI images without consent.
In May, she signed alongside President Trump when he officially enacted the bill in a ceremony with supporters and survivors.
Interestingly, the First Lady differentiates between harmful and helpful uses of AI. As she recently noted, AI has the capacity to enhance educational experiences, while also highlighting the need for “digital literacy.”
Straller’s activities first came to light after reports to the Hilliard police and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, which then contacted the FBI. Straller faced federal charges and was arrested in June 2025.
His sentencing date is to be established in a forthcoming court session, according to prosecutors.
