East Northport Man Used AI To Create Child Abuse Images, Indicted On 62 Counts: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — An East Northport man was indicted on dozens of felony charges after prosecutors said he used artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create and distribute child sexual abuse material, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Leonard Suskin, 53, was indicted on charges including promoting a sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child, the DA said.

The investigation began in January 2026 when Suskin was riding a Long Island Rail Road train and was observed by another commuter viewing and uploading child sexual abuse material in a chat group on his phone, according to prosecutors.

The witness recorded what they saw through the space between seats and noted where Suskin exited the train, officials said. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police later identified Suskin and executed search warrants for his phone and other electronic devices.

Authorities said a phone and flash drives recovered from Suskin’s briefcase, along with additional devices seized from his home, were analyzed by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Digital Forensics Unit.

Prosecutors said several devices contained child sexual abuse material, including images that had originally been innocent photos of children but were altered using artificial intelligence programs to create explicit content.

The investigation also revealed that Suskin uploaded images to social media platforms to distribute them to others, according to the DA’s office.

Suskin was arraigned April 6 before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis.

He was charged with two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony, four counts promoting a sexual performance by a child,
and 56 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, the DA said.

Justice Wilutis ordered Suskin held on $200,000 cash, $600,000 bond, or $2,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case.

Suskin is due back in court on May 13 and faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the top count, prosecutors said.

He is being represented by Evan Sugar, who was not immediately available to respond to a request for comment on the charges.

“This defendant allegedly sat on a commuter train and openly viewed and shared child sexual abuse material and was caught when a fellow passenger had the courage to act,” Tierney said. “My office will prosecute anyone who exploits children in Suffolk County. We urge parents to be mindful of the images of their children that they share publicly online, as predators can and do use those images for these purposes.”