FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024
Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that an Aberdeen man has been indicted on seven counts of computer-generated child pornography which are part of a new South Dakota law that took effect this past July 1.
“This case demonstrates why the Legislature needed to, and did, act to protect children,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Computer-generated child pornography, including those images and videos created using artificial intelligence, has become an increasing concern nationwide and in South Dakota.”
William Webster Bragg, 56, was indicted Sept. 11 by a Brown County Grand Jury on one count of Distributing Child Pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, in the South Dakota State Penitentiary. He also was charged with six counts of Possessing Child Pornography where each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a mandatory minimum sentence of one year, in the South Dakota State Penitentiary. The crimes occurred on or about Aug. 13, 2024.
The new statutes, proposed by Attorney General Jackley, make possession, distribution, and manufacturing of computer-generated child pornography, including those images and videos created using artificial intelligence, a crime. That includes “deepfake” images or videos of an actual child that have been manipulated to make it look like the child was engaged in prohibited sexual acts. The provision was part of Senate Bill 79 which was approved by the 2024 Legislature and signed by the Governor.
Bragg’s next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2024. He has been released on a $30,000 cash bond. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.
The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the state Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit, FBI, and Brown County Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office is the prosecutor.
-30-
