Itasca ISD warns families after former student arrested in AI‑generated pornography case
The Itasca Independent School District in Hill County is warning families after a former high school student was arrested for creating AI‑generated pornography using photos of teachers and students, according to district officials.
The district says the former student took photos of students and staff on Itasca ISD campuses and in neighboring districts, then used an artificial‑intelligence platform to alter them into nude and sexually explicit images digitally.
The Texas Rangers and the Itasca Police Department are leading the investigation and have seized the suspect's phone for forensic analysis. The former student is in custody. Investigators have not said how many images were created or whether any were distributed.
Superintendent addresses families in letter
In a Feb. 16 letter to families, Superintendent Tonya Harris called the situation "a serious matter that has recently come to our attention." She said the district is limited in what it can share because minors are involved. Law enforcement will contact any individuals identified during the investigation, she said.
Harris emphasized that maintaining a safe environment "is our highest priority."
District launches safety education efforts
Harris said the district is taking additional steps to educate students about technology misuse. Safety briefings are being held this week with Officer Lattin and school administrators on appropriate technology use and the legal consequences of creating or possessing explicit images, including those generated by AI.
In March, the district will host the Youth Equipped to Succeed (YES) program, which covers dating violence, sexting, online safety, and sex trafficking.
Families with questions are encouraged to contact the superintendent's office. Anyone who believes their child may be a victim is urged to contact Officer Lattin at (254) 687‑2922, extension 107.
Case unfolds amid statewide concerns
The case comes as Texas lawmakers continue to raise alarms about AI‑generated explicit imagery. Last year, Senator Ted Cruz authored the "Take It Down Act," a federal law prohibiting the posting of any non‑consensual intimate images online. The legislation was championed by an Aledo student who discovered AI‑generated images of her face paired with someone else's body circulating on social media.
