From staff reports

LEWISTOWN — A local man has been charged through Pennsylvania’s Attorney General’s office regarding sexually abusive material that was found at his home, including files containing images produced via artificial intelligence depicting children.

The Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section charged 35-year-old Andrew McCartle II with 95 felony charges, including 48 felony charges in regard to A.I.- generated child sexual abuse material.

McCartle was arraigned and bail was set at $1 million.

Office of Attorney General agents, assisted by the Lewistown Police Department, found the materials during a search this week at a Catherine Street home in Lewistown.

“The deviant behavior involved in this case is very disturbing as it involves the intentional creation of illegal materials that exploit children,” Attorney General David Sunday said. “Our office will continue to use the tools the legislature provided in Act 125 that allows law enforcement to pursue investigations involving artificially-generated materials, and hold these offenders accountable for their actions.”

Act 125, which was passed into law by the Pennsylvania Legislature in December 2024, prohibits the use of artificial intelligence technology to create materials that appear to “authentically depict a child under 18” engaging in sexually abusive acts that did not occur in reality.

The Office of Attorney General has filed the charge in multiple cases.

Agents responded to a tip regarding possession of child sexual abuse materials, and traced the conduct to the Catherine Street home. Investigators determined McCartle had the material on electronic devices at the home.

In all, McCartle is charged with possessing nearly 100 files, including artificially-generated depictions of children.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Jacob Jividen. of the Child Predator Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

McCartle is being held in Mifflin County Correctional Facility, awaiting a preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, before Magisterial District Judge Craig Weston.