Staff Sgt. Alison Church of the Internet Child Exploitation unit at the ALERT headquarters in Strathcona County on Friday, Sept. 25. Theodora MacLeod/Postmedia Photo by THEODORA MACLEOD /jpg, SP, apsmc

AI-generated child sexual abuse material is at the centre of an internet child exploitation case that has raised difficult questions in Sherwood Park.

A local man faces a new charge after investigators alleged that ordinary photos and videos were transformed into sexualized images using artificial intelligence.

Christopher Kalbfleisch, 51, was charged on Sept. 25 with making child sexual abuse material.

Police allege the images involved multiple instances and people known to him, with original photos and videos taken from publicly accessible social media accounts.

The case began earlier, when Kalbfleisch was arrested in June and charged with possessing, accessing and transmitting child sexual abuse material.

Investigators say that arrest followed reports alleging he had shared material online.

A forensic examination of devices seized from his home later uncovered what police described as an extensive collection of manufactured images.

The allegations are especially unsettling because they involve images people may have shared online without expecting them to be misused.

For families in Sherwood Park, the case brings an abstract worry about digital privacy close to home.

A publicly visible photo can take on a troubling new meaning when someone allegedly uses it to create abusive material.

Investigators believe they have identified everyone currently known to them in connection with the images, but say the inquiry remains open.

Further examination of electronic devices or information from the public could change what investigators know.

Anyone with relevant information is being asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Kalbfleisch has been released under court-ordered conditions, including restrictions on contact with anyone younger than 16.

He is also prohibited from attending schools, playgrounds, libraries and public pools.

His next scheduled appearance is Oct. 16 in Strathcona County court.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.