Warning: Graphic content
A southern Alberta courtroom heard sentencing arguments on Friday for a former Lethbridge girls football coach who pleaded guilty to using artificial intelligence to create pornographic images of some of his players.
Justin Tillery, 38, was arrested in July 2025 by Alberta’s Law Enforcement Response Internet Child Exploitation Unit and charged with child sexual exploitation after getting caught using AI to create deepfake images.
At the time of his arrest, Tillery was a junior football coach with the Lethbridge Rams and was a volunteer with Football Alberta’s U-18 women’s team.
Tillery admitted to using an AI program to create naked images of some of his football players in an agreed statement of facts.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to making and possessing child pornography.
The Crown is seeking two years in prison and 36 months probation.
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