GILMER COUNTY MAN INDICTED ON ADDITIONAL CHARGES IN CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE

Thursday, July 17, 2025

State v. Ronald Richardson

Decatur, Ga.- A Gilmer County man has been indicted on additional charges for allegedly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manipulate ordinary photographs into child sex abuse material (CSAM).

On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, a Gilmer County Grand Jury indicted Ronald Richardson, 47, on 120 counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children. The indictment was officially filed on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Defendant Richardson was initially indicted on April 16, 2025, on 76 counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children. As a result of the ongoing investigation, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney presented new evidence to the Grand Jury to support the 44 additional charges. The updated indictment represents more than 100 victims from in and outside the state.

Deputies with the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office arrested Defendant Richardson on January 17, 2025, after an extensive investigation. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

At the request of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney agreed in February to serve as conflict prosecutor for the case.

Defendant Richardson will now be scheduled for an arraignment on the charges in the updated indictment.

The investigation into Defendant Richardson remains active and ongoing.

Anyone seeking a copy of the redacted indictment must request it online through PeachCourt.com or the GSCCCA eCertification Portal at ecert.gsccca.org.