20 Felony Counts: Fishers Man Charged With AI Image Alterations

Charles Coriaty faces 20 felony counts for allegedly using an artificial intelligence application to alter images of young people. The charges accuse the 63-year-old Fishers resident of manipulating photos where subjects wore swimsuits or sports gear, making them appear nude.

The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from SmugMug. The online photography platform provided investigators with approximately 175 images. Many of these files showed signs of AI alteration.

Detectives from the Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched Coriaty’s SmugMug account under a warrant. They discovered additional child sexual abuse material in the account. Officers also searched his home under a separate warrant. In computer folders labeled “Teen Models,” “Braces,” and “School Portraits,” detectives found more images.

Coriaty was preliminarily charged on Monday. On Wednesday afternoon in Hamilton Circuit Court, he was formally charged with 10 counts of child exploitation, seven counts of possession of child pornography, and three counts of possession of child sex abuse material. All counts are low-level felonies. A judge set his bond at $2.5 million cash only. The task force did not specify when the bond amount was determined. Coriaty remains held in the Hamilton County jail in Noblesville.

The task force is based at the Fishers Police Department. It includes detectives from the Fishers, Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Greenfield, and Anderson police departments. The group also includes personnel from the Hamilton and Madison county sheriff’s offices and U.S. Homeland Security. The unit investigates internet crimes against children in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison, and Tipton counties.