Man convicted after authorities find more than 30,000 AI-generated child sexual abuse images

By Zach Rainey

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    CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (WYFF) — A Charlotte man has been convicted after authorities found more than 30,000 images and videos of AI-generated child sexual abuse material across nine devices.

According to court documents, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cybertip that an individual later identified as Daniel Joseph Broadway was uploading child sexual abuse material to an online account.

In December 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Broadway’s home and seized nine electronic devices. The devices contained more than 30,000 images and videos of AI-generated CSAM and over 8,600 images and videos of CSAM.

Forensics showed that Broadway used an AI platform to generate original images of CSAM, including images depicting prepubescent minors. He further used the AI platform to nudify existing images of real people.

On April 23, 2025, Broadway pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12, and obscene visual representations of sexual abuse of children involving a minor under the age of 12.

On Jan. 27, 2026, Broadway was sentenced to 78 months in prison, announced

Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, Broadway has been ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $17,000 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution.

The 54-year-old is now in federal custody and will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.

The case was investigated by the FBI in Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

“Child sexual abuse material is harmful in all of its forms, and my office has the experience, expertise, and resolve to keep up with the technology as criminals use new methods to exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.

In sentencing Broadway, Judge Orso said, “Congress has observed that child pornography is a permanent record of a child’s abuse,” and “those wounds get ripped back open” every time people view the content depicting their abuse.

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