Tristan Preuss, who is due in court Dec. 2 for an initial appearance, is charged with 12 counts of posting a synthetic intimate representation of an identifiable person. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum of 42 years in prison and up to $120,000 in fines.

According to the complaint, Preuss pulled existing images from the woman's social media accounts and used AI to manipulate them into explicit material. The images were then shared on fictitious social media profiles, and the accounts solicited money in exchange for the images, the complaint states. Investigators tied the phone number used to request the money to Preuss.

The woman contacted police after learning that people she knew had received the requests, which included details that only she and Preuss would have known, according to prosecutors.

When confronted, Preuss admitted to creating the images, telling investigators he could not recall how many times he had done it and that he did not know the conduct was illegal, the complaint says. Asked why he did it, Preuss said he had acted for sexual gratification and would take it all back if he could, according to the document.

The case highlights a fast-growing form of digital abuse in which AI tools are used to fabricate explicit images of real people without their consent — often by someone they know. Wisconsin is among a growing number of states that have moved to criminalize the distribution of such synthetic intimate representations, recognizing the harm to victims whose likenesses are weaponized online.

Preuss is scheduled to appear in Kenosha County Circuit Court on Dec. 2.