Authorities: NIU student from Batavia was using AI to create fake nude images of former classmates
A Northern Illinois University student was charged this week after police searched his dorm room in DeKalb and found more than 20,000 images depicting child sexual abuse on his electronics, many were digitally faked images of former Batavia classmates, authorities said.
The student used photos of real people he knew and artificial intelligence to create the materials before selling them online via Snapchat, authorities said.
Michael B. Erickson, 19, a graduate of Batavia High School, was charged with 21 counts of possession, creation and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials.
Authorities started investigating Erickson in April after the Batavia Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, records show.
Batavia police and DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies searched Erickson’s dorm room on May 1, where they found multiple electronic devices with abuse materials on them, according to court records. He was arrested Monday in DeKalb.
DeKalb County Deputies allege Erickson paid a third-party AI platform to create deepfake images of people he knew by having the AI remove their clothing to make them appear to be nude. Erickson used deepfakes, photographs and video to create the materials, authorities allege in DeKalb County court filings Monday.
On March 3, Erickson told a user on Snapchat that “I charge cheap too 10$ for 10 pics 5$ for 5 and 20$ for 20,” according to court records. In a different conversation March 5, another Snapchat user asked Erickson why he makes the images and Erickson replied “to sell them to boys,” records allege in court filings.
DeKalb County prosecutors filed a motion on Tuesday asking a judge to deny release to Erickson, who was held in DeKalb County jail in Sycamore.
Erickson was granted pretrial release with restrictions, records filed Tuesday show.
Erickson no longer lives on the DeKalb campus, according to a statement provided by a university spokesperson Tuesday in response to request for comment.
“The university has been made aware that a student was arrested under serious charges on 6/2/25 by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office,” the statement reads. “The student no longer lives in campus housing. All questions are being referred to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.”
Between Feb. 28 and March 6, Erickson disseminated and received more than 1,000 images and videos of materials depicting child sexual abuse, records show.
Erickson was represented in court by defense attorney Brian Erwin.
His next court date is July 17.