Wisconsin Man Challenges Virtual Child Porn Charges Citing First Amendment

Meillo Schneider, a 20-year-old man from Taycheedah, Wisconsin, is challenging nine counts of possessing virtual child pornography and one count of resisting an officer, arguing that the charges violate his First Amendment rights. The case arose after over 13,000 images, including AI-generated or photorealistic depictions of child sexual abuse material, were identified on Schneider's electronic devices following a tip from Amazon Photos to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Wisconsin's 2024 law criminalizes possession of virtual child pornography even if no real children are involved, but Schneider's defense claims the statute is unconstitutional because the images did not involve actual children and are protected as free speech. His attorney cites Supreme Court precedents noting that virtual images may have value and that private possession of obscene materials is protected under the First Amendment. Law enforcement notes the difficulty in distinguishing the images as either AI-generated or involving real victims, emphasizing the photorealistic nature of the material. Schneider’s motion to dismiss the possession charges is pending, with a court status conference scheduled for August 4, 2025.