A former New Orleans teacher and coach was rearrested on April 1 for 60 counts of unlawful deepfakes, according to a statement from Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.
The case is significant as it highlights ongoing efforts by state authorities to address crimes involving children and the use of digital technology. The accused, Benoit G. Cransac, age 49 and a French national with legal U.S. residence, has now been arrested three times by agents from the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and remains in custody at the Orleans Justice Center.
According to the press release, Cransac was previously arrested on January 8 for violating 22 counts related to child sexual abuse material. He was then rearrested on January 21 for an additional three counts concerning similar charges. On March 23, he faced another arrest on seventeen counts of video voyeurism involving students under seventeen after authorities discovered photographs taken inside his classroom. His most recent arrest brings the total number of charges against him higher, with bond currently set at $3.57 million for previous offenses; he has not yet appeared for bond setting related to these latest charges.
The Louisiana Department of Justice works to preserve the state’s culture and heritage through legal efforts according to its official website. The department also focuses on protecting constitutional rights and providing legal resources statewide according to its official website. Liz Murrill leads the department as attorney general according to its official website, which serves as the primary legal office for Louisiana under an independently elected attorney general according to its official website.
Murrill has challenged federal overreach in more than thirty-five cases during her tenure according to its official website. The department provides services throughout Louisiana according to its official website.
The investigation into Cransac’s activities is ongoing. Authorities remind that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.