Top Story Franklin County man charged with having AI-generated child pornography LAURENCE HAMMACK The Roanoke Times Jan 23, 2026 Jan 23, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ROANOKE — A former U.S. Marine from Franklin County is facing charges of possessing child pornography that was generated by artificial intelligence. Roanoke City Adult Detention Center kAmz6G:? |:4926= #@3:?D@?[ ag[ A=62565 ?@E 8F:=EJ 5FC:?8 2 962C:?8 %F6D52J :? &]$] s:DEC:4E r@FCE :? #@2?@<6]k^AmkAm#@3:?D@?[ H9@ 2D 2 |2C:?6 H2D 4@FCE\>2CE:2=65 7@C A@DD6DD:?8 2?5 5:DEC:3FE:?8 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J :? a_`g 2?5 D6?E6?465 E@ `_ J62CD 4@?7:?6>6?E[ H2D C6=62D65 :? yF?6 a_ad E@ 36 DFA6CG:D65 3J E96 &]$] !C@32E:@? ~77:46 H9:=6 96 H2D =:G:?8 :? (:CEK]k^Am kAm{6DD E92? 2 >@?E9 =2E6C[ >@?:E@C:?8 D@7EH2C6 :?DE2==65 @? 9:D 46==A9@?6 :?5:42E65 E92E #@3:?D@? 925 366? H2E49:?8 2?:>2E65 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE C64@C5D]k^Am People are also reading… Impacts of possible Franklin County data center the topic of Sunday meeting Virginia Tech student expelled for sexual abuse settles lawsuit against school Cole Byrd's emergence key for Virginia Tech's special teams 3 injured as boat runs ashore at night on Smith Mountain Lake Virginia Tech’s Jackson making strong impression at receiver Family sues over Virginia Tech student's suicide Self-service kayak rentals launch at Fairy Stone, SML state parks 94-year-old woman's death at Va. assisted living facility ruled a homicide 'Project Flash' data center proposal fizzles out in Franklin County Families of JMU students killed in crash collect $2 million in settlements School resource deputy named to Franklin County School Board Where college football preseason rankings went wrong Martinsville family remembers airman killed in Iraq tanker crash Sources: White House sought new Reflecting Pool charges Will winter be snowy, stormy or mild? Farmers' Almanac forecast by region kAmuqx $A64:2= p86?E #J2? z6??65J HC@E6 :? 2? 277:52G:E E92E 7FCE96C :?G6DE:82E:@? 7@F?5 “>@CA965” 49:=5 D6I 23FD6 >2E6C:2=[ 2AA2C6?E=J AC@5F465 3J px :>286\86?6C2E:?8 AC@8C2>D[ E92E 56A:4E65 “:56?E:7:23=6[ 72>@FD 49:=5 24EC6DD6D 6?82865 :? D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E 4@?5F4E]”k^AmkAmsFC:?8 a_ad[ E96C6 H2D 2 5C2>2E:4 :?4C62D6 @7 px\86?6C2E65 D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E G:56@D 56A:4E:?8 >:?@CD[ D@>6 2=E6C65 7C@> A9@E@8C2A9D @7 C62= A6@A=6 2?5 @E96CD H9@==J DJ?E96E:4[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 x?E6C?6E (2E49 u@F?52E:@?[ 2? @C82?:K2E:@? E92E EC24<D DF49 >2E6C:2= A@DE65 @?=:?6]k^Am kAm$F49 492C86D 2C6 ?@E 4@>>@?=J 3C@F89E :? E96 7656C2= 4@FCE’D (6DE6C? s:DEC:4E @7 ':C8:?:2[ D2:5 qC:2? |4v:??[ 2 DA@<6D>2? 7@C E96 &]$] pEE@C?6J’D ~77:46]k^Am kAmx? C646?E J62CD[ E96 #@2?@<6 !@=:46 s6A2CE>6?E 92D D66? 2? :?4C62D6 :? px\86?6C2E65 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J] “w@H6G6C[ E96D6 :>286D 2C6 >@DE 4@>>@?=J 7@F?5 2=@?8D:56 C62= :>286D[” A@=:46 DA@<6DH@>2? w2??29 v=2D8@H HC@E6 :? 2? 6>2:=]k^AmkAm#@3:?D@? :D 492C865 H:E9 EH@ 4@F?ED @7 C646:G:?8 :==682= :>286D] ~?6 :D 2==6865 E@ 36 2 4@>AFE6C\86?6C2E65 56A:4E:@? @7 2? :56?E:7:23=6 >:?@C] %96 D64@?5 4@F?E 492C86D #@3:?D@? H:E9 C646:G:?8 2E =62DE @?6 @3D46?6 56A:4E:@? @7 >:?@CD E92E 2C6 ?@E :56?E:7:23=6]k^Am kAmpE 2 962C:?8 :? s646>36C[ E96 6I\|2C:?6 H2D 2==@H65 E@ C6>2:? 7C66 @? 3@?5] qFE 27E6C G:@=2E:?8 4@?5:E:@?D @7 9:D C6=62D6[ H9:49 :?4=F5:?8 92G:?8 >@C6 4@>AFE6C 56G:46D E92? H6C6 2==@H65[ 9:D 3@?5 H2D C6G@<65 %F6D52J 3J &]$] |28:DEC2E6 yF586 z2:=2?: |6>>6C]k^Am kAm#@3:?D@? 925 366? 4=62C=J H2C?65 @7 E96 4@?D6BF6?46D @7 2?J G:@=2E:@?D 2E 9:D 62C=:6C 962C:?8[ “2?5 96C6 H6 2C6[” pDD:DE2?E &]$] pEE@C?6J sC6H x?>2? D2:5 :? 2D<:?8 E92E 96 36 ;2:=65 A6?5:?8 2 EC:2= D4965F=65 7@C |2C49]k^AmkAmx? 9:D 277:52G:E[ z6??65J HC@E6 E92E #@3:?D@?’D 46==A9@?6 5:5 ?@E 2AA62C 6BF:AA65 E@ 24EF2==J 4C62E6 px :>286D] “x? @E96C H@C5D[ x 36=:6G6 #@3:?D@? FD65 E96 :?E6C?6E 2?5 9:D 46==A9@?6 2AAD E@ 5@H?=@25 2== @7 E96 r$p| ,49:=5 D6I 23FD6 >2E6C:2=. C64@G6C65 7C@> 9:D A9@?6[” 96 HC@E6]k^Am kAmp7E6C #@3:?D@? A=62565 8F:=EJ E@ 62C=:6C 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J 492C86D :? 9:D 4@FCE >2CE:2=[ E96 AC:G2E6 7:CDE 4=2DD C646:G65 2 5:D9@?@C23=6 5:D492C86 7C@> E96 |2C:?6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE C64@C5D]k^Am kAmq642FD6 @7 9:D AC:@C C64@C5[ #@3:?D@? ?@H 7246D 2? 6?92?465 AF?:D9>6?E @7 FA E@ c_ J62CD :? AC:D@? @? 6249 @7 9:D ?6H 492C86D :? 7656C2= 4@FCE]k^AmkAmw:D 2EE@C?6J[ $FA6CG:D@CJ pDD:DE2?E u656C2= !F3=:4 s676?56C }:2 ':52=[ 2D<65 E92E 96 36 A=2465 @? >@C6 C6DEC:4E:G6 3@?5 4@?5:E:@?D[ DF49 2D 9@>6 :?42C46C2E:@?[ D@ E92E 96 4@F=5 C646:G6 EC62E>6?E 7@C >6?E2= 962=E9 :DDF6D E92E A=2J65 2 C@=6 :? 9:D 564:D:@?D] |6>>6C 564=:?65[ D2J:?8 D96 5:5 ?@E 36=:6G6 96 4@F=5 23:56 3J 2?J 3@?5 C6BF:C6>6?ED]k^Am kAm(96? 96 H2D C6=62D65 7C@> E96 }2G2= r@?D@=:52E65 qC:8 |:C2>2C — E96 >:=:E2CJ G6CD:@? @7 AC:D@? — =2DE J62C[ #@3:?D@? 28C665 E@ 92G6 9:D 6=64EC@?:4 56G:46D DF3;64E E@ F?2??@F?465 D62C496D H9:=6 96 H2D DFA6CG:D65 3J 7656C2= AC@32E:@? @77:46CD]k^Am kAm%@=5 :? yF=J E92E :>286D @7 2?:>2E65 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J 925 366? 7@F?5 @? 9:D 46==A9@?6[ #@3:?D@? 2==6865=J 25>:EE65 E@ G:6H:?8 E96 >2E6C:2=[ 6IAC6DD65 C6>@CD6[ D2:5 96 H2D?’E C625J 7@C 2 D>2CEA9@?6[ 2?5 G@=F?E66C65 E@ 86E 2 7=:A A9@?6 H:E9@FE :?E6C?6E 2446DD]k^AmkAm$6G6C2= >@?E9D =2E6C[ 2 7@C6?D:4 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 D>2CE A9@?6 7@F?5 >@C6 E92? a_[___ :>286D @7 D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E 4@?E6?E E92E :?4=F565 7:G6 G:56@D E92E 4@?DE:EFE65 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J[ @?6 @7 H9:49 H2D px\86?6C2E65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE C64@C5D]k^Am Laurence Hammack (540) 981-3239laurence.hammack@roanoke.com 0 comments Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Henry County man faces nine charges after Franklin County drug seizure A Henry County man, Drew Conner Plaster, faces nine charges following a February Franklin County investigation that led to the seizure of near… Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute! August 18, 2026: BLK RVA Community Awards; Williams on Petersburg’s gamble; Local farmers see growing demand Counties with the most gun deaths Counties with the most gun deaths Could AI Forecast Your Home's Future Value? Could AI Forecast Your Home's Future Value? A1 Minute! August 12, 2026: Richmond Raceway teams up with The Museum DC for the Richmond Drop; Where Richmond Eats podcast; UR women’s b-ball schedule A1 Minute! August 12, 2026: Richmond Raceway teams up with The Museum DC for the Richmond Drop; Where Richmond Eats podcast; UR women’s b-ball schedule
Henry County man faces nine charges after Franklin County drug seizure A Henry County man, Drew Conner Plaster, faces nine charges following a February Franklin County investigation that led to the seizure of near…
A1 Minute! August 18, 2026: BLK RVA Community Awards; Williams on Petersburg’s gamble; Local farmers see growing demand
A1 Minute! August 12, 2026: Richmond Raceway teams up with The Museum DC for the Richmond Drop; Where Richmond Eats podcast; UR women’s b-ball schedule
A1 Minute! August 12, 2026: Richmond Raceway teams up with The Museum DC for the Richmond Drop; Where Richmond Eats podcast; UR women’s b-ball schedule
