Minnesota
Legislation
Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery
EnactedCreates § 617.262 (criminal) and § 604.32 (civil) for deepfake intimate imagery. Gross misdemeanor base; felony with aggravating factors. Civil penalty up to $10,000 + profits + attorney fees + $1,000/day injunction violations.
Election Deepfakes
EnactedProhibits misleading deepfakes; under legal challenge from X/Twitter
Documented Incidents
Multiple schools in North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale and Stillwater
StaffJanuary 22, 2025
At least 100 child victims
William Michael Haslach, 30, a school employee in multiple districts, discreetly photographed children in his care and used those images to produce AI-generated/morphed photos of them engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He also possessed over 800 files of CSAM.
Outcome: Federal indictment on 11+ counts, including production and possession of child pornography, facing mandatory minimum of 15 years to life. Also faces 10 state-level charges.
FOX 9 MinneapolisMaranatha Christian Academy, Brooklyn Park
StaffApril 17, 2024
1 confirmed victim — a 13-year-old female student
Jason Polzin, 50, a counselor and softball coach, secretly recorded a 13-year-old female student changing clothes. A police search found 52 covert photos and 165 images of the victim's face superimposed onto computer-generated nude bodies.
Outcome: Charged with one felony count of interfering with the privacy of a minor. Terminated by the school. Pleaded guilty, facing up to 4 years in prison.
FOX 9 Minneapolis