A female tells a deputy she found AI-generated child pornography on a male’s phone
| by Travis Uresk | May 19th, 2026 |
Uintah County, Utah (5/19/26)—A female walked into the lobby of the Uintah County Sheriff's Office and requested to speak with a deputy in private.
Deputy W. Russell escorted the woman to a private area of the sheriff's office, where a formal interview was conducted. The woman was visibly upset and paranoid that someone would hear what she was about to tell him.
During the interview, the female said she discovered concerning material on a cellular phone belonging to 37-year-old Beau J. Peterson.
The images on Beau's phone depict numerous AI-generated children engaged in sexual acts. The complainant further advised that at least one of the children depicted in those AI-generated images resembled her nine-year-old daughter.
In addition to the AI-generated material, the female stated she had also discovered on Beau's phone a real photograph of her nine-year-old daughter, completely unclothed and standing in the living room of her home. She also stated that this image appeared to have been captured as a screenshot from security camera footage recorded inside her trailer, which Beau had access to.
The female provided information and evidence to investigators during this interview, which formed the basis for further investigative action.
Based on the information gathered during the interview, Deputy W. Russell, along with a detective, went to Beau's place of employment, where the detectives explained the reason for their visit and asked him to come with them to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office for an interview.
Before being transported, Beau was hesitant to enter a patrol vehicle and voluntarily disclosed that he had syringes in his pocket. He removed the syringes from his person and admitted that they possibly contained methamphetamine. He was then transported to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office.
Prior to the interview, Beau was advised of his Miranda rights, and he confirmed that he understood them and wished to speak with the investigators.
During the interview, Deputy W. Russell asked Beau about the images found on his cell phone. He admitted he had the images on his phone and said he had used an AI app on his device to generate them. When the deputy inquired about the real photo of the nine-year-old child found on his phone, Beau stated that the image had been taken "accidentally." He explained that he had been reviewing the security camera footage from inside the residence and had taken a screenshot of a portion in which the child was in the living room without clothing.
The deputy confronted Beau with another image on his phone. This image depicted a child matching the appearance of the nine-year-old female victim, who showed the child in a position appearing to be about to perform a sexual act on an adult male. Beau admitted that the male genitalia depicted in the image was his own and that he had used it within the AI application to generate the image.
Deputy W. Russell believed there was enough probable cause to arrest Beau Peterson for the following offenses under Utah law:
Two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, in violation of Utah Code 76-5b-201, which prohibits knowingly possessing, producing, or distributing child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated depictions of minors engaged in sexual conduct. Beau admitted to using an AI application to generate images depicting minors, including a child resembling the nine-year-old victim, engaged in sexual acts, and further admitted to incorporating his own image into such material. First-degree felonies.
Production of apparent child sexual abuse material, in violation of Utah Code 76-5b-208, which an actor commits distribution of apparent child sexual abuse material if the actor intentionally: (a) distributes apparent child sexual abuse material; or (b) produces apparent child sexual abuse material. Beau admitted to taking the photo of the nine-year-old child in the living room and then using that image in an AI platform to generate child sexual abuse material. Second-degree felony.
Possession of a Controlled Substance / Drug Paraphernalia, in violation of Utah Code 58-37-8 and Utah Code 58- 37a-5, based on Beau's voluntary disclosure and admission that syringes in his possession possibly contained methamphetamine. Misdemeanor A for the drug and Misdemeanor B for the paraphernalia.
Additionally, Deputy W. Russell requested that Beau be held without bail. During the interview with the complainant, and subsequently confirmed by Beau himself during his interview, it was disclosed that during a prior argument, the complainant had confronted Beau about the images on his phone. In response, Beau became upset and made a direct threat, stating that he would kill the complainant and then kill himself if the matter was ever reported to law enforcement.
Given the nature of this explicit threat, the severity of the offenses, and Beau's demonstrated access to the complainant's residence and her minor child, the deputy’s opinion is that releasing him on bail poses a significant and credible risk of retribution against the complainant, her nine-year-old daughter, and other immediate family members caring for the minor child.
Traffic and Criminal Report
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