Attorney General James Uthmeier Secures 10-Year Prison Sentence for Predator in Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and AI-Generated Child Pornography

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a 10-year prison sentence for a child predator. Warner Smith entered a guilty plea in Lake County on charges of possession of child sexual abuse material and possession of AI-generated child pornography. 

“Thanks to a cyber tip, law enforcement took a predator who possessed child sexual abuse material and AI-generated child pornography out of the community,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Now, Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Rebecca Smith-Hameroff ensured this pedophile spends a decade behind bars.”

A law enforcement investigation began after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a cyber tip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children stating that Smith had accessed child pornography. FDLE served a search warrant at Smith’s residence and seized the defendant’s cellphone. During a forensic analysis, authorities found child exploitation files depicting the sexual abuse of young children, some as young as six-years-old. Authorities also found evidence of AI-generated child pornography on Smith’s devices.

Smith pled guilty to 15 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and six counts of possession of AI-generated child pornography. Smith is sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of sex-offender probation.

Last year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1680 into law, making it a crime to knowingly possess, control, intentionally view, or create AI-generated child pornography. 

Attorney General Uthmeier’s OSP handled the case.

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