Pennsylvania State Police corporal charged with creating thousands of deepfake porn images, including those of minors.

A corporal with the Pennsylvania State Police, identified as Stephen Kamnik, has been charged with creating deepfake pornography and additional serious offenses, raising alarming concerns about abuse of authority and violation of trust within law enforcement. Stationed at the Troop K barracks in Skippack, the 38-year-old allegedly utilized his department-issued computer to manufacture explicit digital content that featured multiple women, including colleagues and others encountered during his official duties.

Investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of misconduct. Authorities discovered that Kamnik not only crafted sexually exploitative deepfakes but also engaged in illegal surveillance activities. He reportedly filmed himself breaking into a female locker room at the barracks, rummaging through his coworkers’ personal items, including their underwear. In a further disheartening turn of events, an inquiry into Kamnik’s activities led to the discovery of child pornography on his devices.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday emphasized the gravity of Kamnik’s actions, stating that the accused violated his oath to protect the public by allegedly using his position to exploit innocent individuals and create abusive materials, some of which involved children. Kamnik faces an array of charges that include possession of child pornography, unlawful computer use, and unlawful duplication of digital assets. Additionally, he is charged with possessing a .22 caliber firearm reported stolen in 2012.

As of Wednesday, Kamnik remains in custody, with bail set at 0,000, while his legal representative has not commented on the allegations. Having served as a trooper since 2011, he has been suspended without pay in light of these serious charges.

The investigation into Kamnik began in November when state police noted irregularities in the internet activity associated with his assigned computer. Initial findings indicated he was using the device to manage a side business selling website domains. However, a thorough examination uncovered a shocking array of content, including thousands of pornographic images stored on an external hard drive connected to the computer.

Among the evidence collected, approximately 3,000 deepfake images were created by superimposing photographs of women Kamnik encountered during his duties onto explicit images of other individuals. Some of these deepfakes were reportedly based on photos of a 12-year-old girl. Kamnik allegedly mined images from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s driver’s license database, mug shots, and other law enforcement resources to create this content.

Additional evidence revealed that Kamnik secretly recorded videos of female colleagues, focusing on their private body parts, and even engaged in inappropriate behaviors with women he encountered in domestic violence incidents. He reportedly forced some of these women to perform degrading gestures, which served no legitimate law enforcement purpose.

Scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 5, Kamnik’s case has provoked widespread concern regarding the integrity of law enforcement practices and the imperative need for rigorous oversight within police departments. As details of this investigation continue to unfold, it signals a critical moment of scrutiny regarding how authority is exercised and monitored in the sphere of public service, particularly in law enforcement.

Authorities are expected to continue their investigations, and the implications of this case may resonate far beyond the courtroom.

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