Tennessee man gets 30 years for trading AI

Tennessee man gets 30 years for trading AI-generated child abuse images with Canadian man

Patrick D. Swanson, the 30-year-old Portland man seen here, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for using artificial intelligence to create images and videos of child sexual abuse. (Photo: Sumner County District Attorney General)

PORTLAND, Tenn. (WZTV) — A 30-year-old Portland, Tennessee man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for using artificial intelligence to create images and videos of child sexual abuse.

Patrick D. Swanson was arrested in November 2025 after a joint investigation by Portland Police, the US Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Police say Swanson used AI to put the faces of children onto sexualized images, then traded the material with a Canadian resident for actual child abuse content. Authorities in Canada found messages and files from Swanson after arresting the person he had communicated with and they quickly alerted US authorities to open a joint investigation.

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When investigators searched Swanson's home, they found he had deleted some files just before police entered, leading to an added charge of tampering with evidence. A judge in Sumner County Criminal Court ordered Swanson to serve 30 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction with no chance for probation, parole or early release.

Officials said Swanson's actions highlight a disturbing new use of AI in child exploitation cases and thanked law enforcement agencies from both countries for their work. The Sumner County District Attorney's Office said it remains committed to working with law enforcement to make sure anyone making, trading or viewing child abuse content faces the toughest prosecution.