Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday Joins Coalition in Urging Feds to Allow

Law Enforcement Access to Tips from National Human Trafficking Hotline

Department of Health & Human Services currently seeking grant recipient to administer the hotline

April 16, 2025

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday joined a bipartisan coalition of 41 Attorneys General in a letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services asking for law enforcement access to National Human Trafficking Hotline tips.

The national hotline — 888-373-7888 — serves as a vital tool for neighbors, relatives, bystanders, victims and survivors, and other witnesses toreport valuable information about suspected trafficking activity.

The federal department is seeking a grant awardee to run the hotline program. The previous awardee, Polaris, prevented law enforcement access to the tips.

“At a time when law enforcement is working in unity with the community to bring human trafficking out of the shadows, access to these tips could lead to more charges against traffickers – and more help for victims and survivors, who rarely escape on their own,” Attorney General Sunday said. “My office launched a Human Trafficking Section devoted to stopping these dehumanizing crimes, and access to this information would, without a doubt, strengthen those efforts.”

The 41 Attorneys General who signed onto the letter are not seeking access to tips provided by victims and survivors, who may not want to be contacted by law enforcement.

Tipsters can also use the hotline via text message, by texting INFO to 233733.

The hotline is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families.

Since 2007, Polaris has operated the National Human Trafficking Hotline with millions of dollars in funding authorized by Congress. It was recently discovered that Polaris was failing to forward third-party tips about adult victims to state law enforcement except in limited circumstances. Additionally, states have often discovered a delay of even several months before the Hotline shared those tips with states.

In addition to Attorney General Sunday, the letter was signed by the Attorneys General of the following states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The letter was led by Attorneys General Lynn Fitch (Miss.), Kathy Jennings (Del.), Liz Murrill (La.), and Aaron Ford (Nev.).

https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/attorney-general-sunday-joins-coalition-in-urging-feds-to-allow-law-enforcement-access-to-tips-from-national-human-trafficking-hotline/

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AG Dave Sunday’s Child Predator Unit Files its First A.I.-Involved

Child Sexual Abuse Material Charge Since Passing of New PA Law

April 14, 2025 | Topic: Criminal

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a York County man regarding possession of more than two dozen files of artificially-generated child sexual abuse material — the first time the Office of Attorney General has filed the charge since it was passed into law in 2024.

Luke A. Teipel, 22, of Dallastown, is charged with 33 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, including the artificially-generated images, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Teipel was recently arraigned and bail was set at $25,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 24.

“This proactive investigation uncovered a defendant weaponizing modern technology to victimize and harm children,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Due to the bipartisan leadership of Senators Tracy Pennycuik and Lisa Boscola, we now have a law on the books that enables the filing of serious felony charges in AI cases that we previously could not prosecute. These charges are just a first step in using this new law to protect our communities and our children.”

During the Office of Attorney General investigation, agents discovered numerous files of suspected child sexual abuse material that was traced back to a device owned by Teipel. During a search of Teipel’s home, agents recovered a cell phone in the kitchen, containing 29 files of alleged artificially-generated child sexual abuse material.

The investigation is ongoing into how the materials were created.Charges were also filed regarding non-artificial images found on the phone and a laptop computerat Teipel’s home.

Last year, the Office of Attorney General offered input on ACT 125, which updated prior laws to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence technology to create materials that appear to “authentically depict a child under 18” engaging in sexually abusive acts that did not occur in reality.

This case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Janie Swinehart.

https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/ag-sundays-child-predator-unit-files-its-first-a-i-involved-child-sexual-abuse-material-charge-since-passing-of-new-pa-law/