Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist arrested for possession of AI-generated child pornography

By lauraharris // 2025-01-19

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Darrin Bell, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, was arrested for possession of child pornography, including AI-generated material.
An investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program revealed Bell uploaded 134 videos of child sex abuse material.
Bell was arrested on Jan. 15, and bail was set at $1 million; he is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 17.
Bell's comic strip, "Candorville," has been suspended from the Washington Post and other outlets due to the controversy.
Macmillan, publisher of Bell's 2023 visual memoir, has suspended distribution of his work pending further information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Darrin Bell has been arrested on charges of possession of child pornography, some of which was allegedly generated by artificial intelligence. According to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, detectives from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone who had uploaded 18 files containing child sex abuse material or child pornography. Following an investigation, detectives discovered that the account was owned and controlled by Bell, who had uploaded a total of 134 videos. (Related: Former ABC reporter James Gordon Meek, who "debunked" Pizzagate scandal, pleads guilty to child pornography charges.) "Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Detectives (ICAC) conducted an investigation stemming from a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to someone uploading Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. The tip was related to 18 files containing CSAM. The investigation continued, and a total of 134 videos of CSAM were located and linked to the same account, owned and controlled by 49-year-old Darrin Bell," the Sacramento Sheriff posted on X. The police immediately issued a residential search warrant at Bell's home on Jan. 15, where they discovered evidence related to the case, including "computer-generated/AI" child pornography. The 49-year-old artist was subsequently arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail for possessing child exploitation material. He is currently in custody, with bail set at $1 million, and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 17.

Bell has been stripped of comics syndication amid controversy

Bell is a renowned cartoonist and comic strip creator whose works have appeared in prominent news outlets, including the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New Yorker and San Francisco Chronicle. His comic strip, "Candorville," features young Black and Latino characters living in a city and often offers social and political commentary. He was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial in 2019 and was honored by the Pulitzer Prize committee for his "beautiful and daring editorial cartoons that took on issues affecting disenfranchised communities, calling out lies, hypocrisy and fraud in the political turmoil surrounding the Trump administration." However, the arrest has led to immediate consequences for Bell's professional career. "Candorville," which appears on The Post's website and in its daily and Sunday editions, has been suspended from the comics lineup for the time being. The strip will appear in the Jan. 19 Sunday comics section because of production deadlines. Counterpoint Media, Bell's syndicator, said on Jan. 16 that Bell has been suspended from contributing to its daily newsletter. However, reruns of "Rudy Park," a syndicated comic strip no longer in production, would continue to be distributed for now. Macmillan, the publisher of Bell's 2023 visual memoir, "The Talk," said that they are "aware of the arrest of Bell. These are disturbing allegations, and we take this matter extremely seriously. At this time, we are allowing due process to take its course and will take appropriate action as we get more confirmed information." Furthermore, a cartoon created by Bell titled "The Groomer" resurfaced on his X account after his arrest. The cartoon depicts an elephant-like figure flashing a group of children in front of a mirrored storefront, with the word "BIGOTRY" tattooed on the figure's chest. Twisted.news has more stories like this. Watch the video below that talks about horrifying child sexual abuse.

This video is from the Airtv International channel on Brighteon.com.

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Bell has been stripped of comics syndication amid controversy

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