A man has been charged with creating AI-generated sexual images of women, allegedly putting up posters in public toilets around south-east Queensland containing their full names, jobs and social media details.

The posters allegedly show the faces of real women superimposed onto images of others performing sexual acts, as well as claims they are available for sex work.

Police have been investigating since the posters emerged in 2021, with the most recent poster discovered in Gatton, west of Brisbane, in May.

Ipswich Detective Acting Inspector Tim Martin said the posters were commonly found in public bathrooms.

John Speer, a 52-year-old man from Cleveland, on Brisbane’s bayside, was charged with 43 offences, including 27 counts of distributing intimate images, six counts of stalking and four firearm charges, with police alleging he had been making the posters for the past five years.

During a raid on Wednesday investigators seized electronic devices, printers and posters allegedly created by the man, as well as three firearms, and 25 rounds of ammunition.

Video from the arrest shows the firearms to be long-barrelled weapons.

The man was remanded in custody, and was expected to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 19.

Martin said eight victims had been identified so far, and it was unclear if the women were linked to the man.

He said the posters had been found as far north as Hervey Bay.

“It’s important to remember these are real people who have suffered significant emotional distress as a result of this offending,” he said, urging anyone who found a poster similar to these to contact police.

The victims, aged between 40 and 60, were from all over south-east Queensland, hailing from Newstead, Jindalee, Murarrie, Helen Grove, Carindale, Thagoona, Brookfield and Urraween.

Martin said police were committed to catching people who used AI to commit crimes.

“Artificial intelligence is an emerging technology but using it to create and distribute abusive or degrading material is not beyond the reach of police,” he said.

“We will investigate these matters thoroughly and hold offenders to account.”