DETROIT — A Commerce Township man has pleaded guilty in federal court to cyberstalking after using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit fake images of an Oregon-based social media influencer and threatening to release them to her followers.
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Joshua Stilman, 37, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of cyberstalking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan.
Federal prosecutors said that from at least February 2025 through March 2025, Stilman used publicly available images of the victim to create AI-generated nude and sexually graphic images. He then sent private messages to the victim through social media, repeatedly questioning her about her sexual preferences and making sexually threatening statements.
Authorities said Stilman eventually escalated the harassment by threatening to release the fabricated images to the victim’s nearly 100,000 social media followers if she did not continue communicating with him.
The influencer told investigators that at first she tried to laugh off some of the messages, but the situation quickly turned serious. She said she grew afraid for her own safety and that of her family. She deleted personal information from her website and even began carrying a weapon.
Authorities say another woman was also targeted in a similar way. In her case, Stilman allegedly shared pornographic videos of her without consent and threatened further exposure.
“Cyberstalking — especially when amplified through the weaponization of artificial intelligence — is a dangerous offense, not a harmless online act,” Runyan said. She added that the victim’s decision to come forward was critical to holding the defendant accountable.
Stilman faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026.
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