Maplewood, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – BREAKING UPDATE: A former school district employee in Minnesota has been federally indicted for producing sexually exploitative images of children using artificial intelligence (AI).
William Michael Haslach, 30, of Maplewood, allegedly used his positions in two school districts—ISD 622 (North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale) and ISD 834 (Stillwater)—to photograph children in non-explicit settings before manipulating the images with AI to create sexually abusive content.
🔍 Key Developments:
- Haslach was previously charged in Ramsey County with ten counts of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- The federal indictment includes:
- Five counts of receipt of child pornography
- Five counts of possession of child pornography
- One count of producing obscene visual representations of child abuse
- Investigators say he used AI tools to alter photographs of children he encountered in his school roles, which included lunch monitor, traffic guard, paraprofessional, and summer program assistant.
- His arrest followed a previous state investigation; authorities believe he had extensive contact with minors.
🚨 Federal Investigation & Call for Public Assistance 🚨
The U.S. Secret Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), and Maplewood Police Department are conducting the investigation. Parents and guardians are urged to report any concerns if their children may have interacted with Haslach or been photographed by him.
📞 Contact Information for Tips:
- Minnesota BCA Tip Line: 651-793-2465
- Email: bca.tips@state.mn.us
🚨 Legal Status & Next Steps 🚨
- Haslach remains in custody following his U.S. District Court appearance.
- A formal detention hearing is scheduled for March 3.
- His previous state case is on hold as the federal prosecution moves forward.
- He previously posted $80,000 bail, but his state court appearance on Feb. 27 has been canceled.
⚠️ Authorities stress the seriousness of this case and the need for public awareness as AI-based crimes become an emerging concern.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News