NJ Student Made AI Porn Of Classmates, Officials Say

MONTGOMERY, NJ — A 17-year-old boy was arrested for using artificial intelligence to make nude photos of students in Montgomery Township.

In a message to the Montgomery Township School District community, Board of Education President Patrick Todd and Superintendent of Schools Mary McLoughlin said they were aware of "recent news reports describing allegations involving the misuse of artificial intelligence to create and share inappropriate images of students in our community outside of school hours and away from school grounds."

The letter shared on Wednesday said the situation is "upsetting and concerning for many families."

On March 17, New Jersey State Police detectives searched a home on Addison Avenue in Montgomery Township, said State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron to Patch.

Lebron said the investigation began after a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The 17-year-old male suspect was arrested for child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM).

He was charged with second-degree distribution of child sexual exploitation and abuse material, third-degree possession of child sexual exploitation and abuse material, and fourth-degree cyber harassment.

The teen was taken to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center pending a detention hearing.

Todd and McLoughlin wrote, "The safety, dignity, and well-being of our students remain our highest priorities."

They also wrote, "The type of behavior described in these reports is deeply harmful and inconsistent with the values we strive to instill in our schools and community."

The district said there are legal limits on what it can disclose because the matter involves students and an active law enforcement investigation.

According to the letter, those limits include the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, New Jersey’s pupil records regulations, and the New Jersey School Ethics Act.

The district said it cannot discuss individual students, confirm details, or provide updates about any potential disciplinary actions.

"We want to be clear that our commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students remains unwavering. We hold high expectations for student conduct and strongly condemn the misuse of technology, including artificial intelligence, in ways that harm, exploit, or target others. We will continue to uphold these standards and work to ensure that every student feels a sense of safety and belonging in our schools," according to the letter.

The district did share that it is cooperating with law enforcement, that all parties affected by the matter have been contacted and are aware of the investigation, and that student support services are available, including counseling for any student impacted.

The letter said the district is also working to strengthen education around digital safety, responsible technology use, and the risks associated with artificial intelligence and social media.

Todd and McLoughlin urged families to talk with their children about respect, consent, personal boundaries, the permanence and risks of sharing images online, and the importance of speaking up if they see or experience something concerning. The district said the investigation remains active and did not provide additional details.

"This is a difficult moment for our school community, but it is also an opportunity to come together, to support one another, to reinforce our shared values, and to guide our students in navigating an increasingly complex digital world," stated Todd and McLoughlin.

This isn't the first time AI has been used to create nude images of students.

In 2023, students at Westfield High School made and distributed fake pornographic images of other female students at the school.

Following this, in December 2023, a Westfield mother and her daughter, who was victimized by the AI-generated pornographic images, pushed lawmakers for more protections for victims.

Most recently, in 2025, two Council Rock middle school students in Newtown, PA, were charged with using AI technology last spring to illegally create fake nude images of his female classmates.

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