According to recent updates from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Steven Gugel, a 47-year-old man from Mulberry, is facing significant additional charges following a deeper forensic investigation into his digital devices.
The case gained attention earlier this month when Gugel was initially charged with eight felonies related to the creation of child pornography using artificial intelligence. The investigation began after a woman discovered manipulated images on his phone that depicted three local children he knew.
Key Details of the Case
- Initial Charges: On March 11, 2026, Gugel was charged with 5 counts of creating AI-generated child pornography and 3 counts of generating altered sexual depictions without consent.
- New Charges: Following the forensic analysis of his seized phone and computer, detectives identified 16 additional instances of AI-generated materials, leading to the new set of charges you mentioned.
- Method: Gugel reportedly admitted to using AI software to “nudeify” or superimpose the faces of children he had access to onto adult bodies in sexually explicit poses.
- Current Status: He remains in the Polk County Jail and is being held without bond.
Sheriff Grady Judd has used this case as a public warning, stating that “putting the faces of children onto already-existing sexually explicit pornography” is a serious felony, regardless of whether the bodies in the images are real or AI-generated.