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Christian school teacher allegedly used AI for explicit images of minors
Richard Lynn Upright has been charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
A former educator at a Christian school in North Carolina is facing allegations of using artificial intelligence (AI) to merge minors' faces with explicit sexual photos.
Richard Lynn Upright, 56, encountered arrest on February 27, accused of 10 charges of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, following an investigation initiated on February 23 by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office press announcement.
In North Carolina, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor is classified as a Class E felony, which can result in a prison term of up to 136 months per charge as per state legislation.
The inquiry commenced when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip and informed the sheriff's department, as stated in the announcement.
Upright held a teaching position at Vandalia Christian School in Greensboro at the outset of the investigation, in line with the announcement.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the school declared that Upright was dismissed from his role after his arrest and mentioned that the institution has been in liaison with the Guilford County Sheriff's Office and has been assisting the investigators.
During a court proceeding on Monday, a detective revealed that 111 explicit images were located on Upright’s electronics, asserting that these pictures were formed by overlaying minors' faces onto explicit visuals utilising AI or image manipulation software, as reported by WXII and WFMY.
On February 27, a search warrant was carried out at Vandalia Christian School in connection to the probe, as stated by the media sources.
Upright was present in court on Monday, where the judge determined his bail to be $750,000, based on the records from the Guilford County Detention Center online.
During the procedure, a father of two students, one in Upright’s current class and another formerly taught by him, implored the judge to deny his release.
The exploration into the matter is still active, as mentioned in the press announcement from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.
