Naugatuck Man Accused Of Possessing AI-Generated Child Pornography: Feds

NAUGATUCK, CT — A Naugatuck man accused of possessing AI-generated and other types of child pornography was recently charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery and Michael Krol, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations, New England, announced in a news release Monday.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Travis Tilley, 40, of Naugatuck, was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved sexual intercourse with a person under 13, and possession of child pornography in 2019.

In August 2022, Tilley was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation.

On March 9, 2023, state probation officers seized Tilley's laptop and a flash drive, an analysis of which revealed Tilley had utilized prohibited software to access sites that provide sexually explicit material, used encrypted email and messenger services and an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on AI-generated and other types of child pornography, Avery and Krol said.

The analysis also revealed "two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user," according to Avery and Krol.

According to Avery and Krol, the complaint charges Tilley with receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum prison term of 40 years, as well as possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of 20 years.

The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Tilley's prior state convictions, Avery and Krol said.

Tilley has been detained in state custody since March 2023. He made his initial appearance in New Haven federal court Monday, Avery and Krol said.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.