EL PASO, TX — A U.S. Army soldier who was previously based in El Paso has been indicted by a federal grand jury on several charges related to child exploitation. The U.S. Department of Justice revealed on Wednesday that Seth Herrera, 35, faces accusations of using artificial intelligence to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
He is charged with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and the receipt of CSAM. Court documents indicate that Herrera allegedly engaged in a continuous pattern of abuse starting in 2021, utilizing encrypted messaging and network applications to seek out and download illegal content.
Furthermore, authorities claim that he employed AI chatbots to generate CSAM by altering images of children he knew personally. Investigators report that he secretly filmed and photographed these minors undressing in his El Paso home. Additionally, Herrera is confronting similar charges in Alaska for the transportation, receipt, and possession of CSAM, including AI-generated content, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
“This case highlights deeply disturbing behavior and the dangerous misuse of technology to exploit children,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department is committed to aggressively pursuing justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable.”
****An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
