According to NBC News, Darrin Bell, a 49-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning leftist political cartoonist from the California Bay Area was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento County on suspicion of possession of child pornography.
He was booked into the Sacramento County jail on possession of child porn, according to Internet Crimes Against Children detectives who were tipped off by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
While searching Bell’s home, investigators discovered 134 videos of child pornography linked to an account owned and controlled by Bell in addition to computer generated/artificial intelligence child pornography, according to authorities, NBC News reported.
Bell previously drew cartoons for the Daily Californian and contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle in addition to other media outlets. He got his start at UC Berkeley.
One example of his work likens supporters of President Donald Trump to Nazi Party members.
Darrin Bell, the cartoonist who made this, was just arrested with child porn on his computer pic.twitter.com/lVuUVhRfB0
— Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) January 16, 2025
Fascinatingly, a change in the law which took place at the start of 2025 outlawed AI-created child porn, a charge levied against Bell.
“The arrest is the first by Sacramento Valley ICAC in which possession of computer generated/AI child pornography was charged against the suspect. A change in the law took effect with the new year making AI-generated child pornography a criminal offense,” NBC News said.
JUST IN – Washington Post cartoonist Darrin Bell arrested for possession of child pornography. pic.twitter.com/L7cKv1vVuw
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 16, 2025