A former software developer who created and distributed sexualised deepfake images of women and schoolgirls has been sentenced to two years in prison in Brisbane.
Antonio Rotondo, 56, was convicted of 17 offences, including 11 counts of stalking, five counts of distributing intimate images and one count of distributing child exploitation material involving an image of a 13-year-old girl.
The six-day trial heard that Rotondo used publicly available photographs of female students and staff at a private Queensland school, as well as women who had taken part in a fashion event, and digitally altered them to depict nudity or sexualised clothing.
He sent the images by email to school administrators and other recipients in September 2023 while living in the Philippines. Some of the material was also uploaded to a website he controlled.
Victims told Brisbane District Court on Wednesday that the offending had affected their families, careers and sense of safety. One woman said: “What frightens me is knowing that an ordinary photograph can be taken out of my control and transformed into sexual material without my consent.”
The mother of the 13-year-old girl said her daughter had not seen the image. She described the distress of deciding whether, and when, to tell her about what had happened, while carrying the secret herself.
Another victim said she did not blame the technology used to create the images, but those who misused it. “I do not want to be afraid of photography, being photographed or sharing photographs,” she said. “Being visible is an important part of my life, my work and the way I express myself.”
Rotondo represented himself and argued that he should have faced only two charges because he had sent two emails. He also claimed his conduct was not criminal when it took place.
Judge John Allen rejected the argument, saying Rotondo had shown no remorse or insight into the consequences of his actions. The judge said the impact on the victims had been “profound and long lasting” and that their suffering continued.
“You have no empathy for the victims of your offending, and you have no remorse whatsoever,” Judge Allen told him.
The sentence has already been served and Rotondo was granted immediate parole, although he will remain in custody in relation to other matters. Judge Allen found that, while the images were deeply harmful, they did not reach the level of extreme depravity seen in the most serious cases.
