Columbus man faces federal charges for sextortion, cyberstalking

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man is facing federal charges after he is accused of sending threats and AI-generated pornographic material to multiple individuals, according to United States District Court documents.

Records say James Strahler II is charged with sextortion, cyberstalking, transportation of obscene material, anonymous telecommunications harassment, production of a morphed image of child sexual abuse material and production or distribution of obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse material.

According to court records, Strahler is accused of sending multiple people threatening text messages, voicemails and AI-generated sexually explicit images and videos.

In January, records say a victim contacted Hilliard police about various threatening and harassing messages that both she and her mother had received. Those messages reportedly included nude photos of the victim and sexually explicit AI-generated photos with the victim’s face on nude bodies.

Strahler admitted to being responsible for sending the messages using spoof phone numbers, according to court records. He was charged and released several days later.

In April, the victim contacted Hilliard police again after people she knew reportedly received the nude and AI-generated photos from an unknown number.

Documents say police got a search warrant for Strahler’s phone, where it showed calls, messages and images that had been used to harass the victim and others she knew. Additional evidence showed that other victims were being harassed similarly as well.

Strahler reportedly used a website called Motherless.com to anonymously post nearly two dozen explicit photos of the first victim and her mother.

Further investigation into Strahler’s internet search history showed him looking up the terms, “long range spy camera wireless,” “unethical spy for hire near Columbus, OH,” “post anonymous nudes” and “ai porn makers using own pictures,” court records revealed.

In total, records indicate that there were nearly 10 people, including two minors, whose faces Strahler used to depict sexually explicit AI content.

Federal charges were filed and Strahler was arrested on June 23, district court records say.