Richard Linwood Parsons. Courtesy of Hall County Sheriff's Office
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - A Georgia attorney arrested in a New Jersey child predator sting has been permanently disbarred after pleading guilty to a child-related felony.
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What we know:
In a unanimous decision issued Tuesday, the Georgia Supreme Court ordered that Richard Linwood Parsons, a Forsyth County attorney admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2012, be disbarred following his conviction for endangering the welfare of a child in New Jersey. The court found the conviction violated Georgia's Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibit attorneys from being convicted of a felony.
Parsons was one of 21 men arrested during Operation Risky Business, a multi-agency undercover investigation announced by New Jersey authorities in 2024. Investigators said the operation targeted adults who allegedly used social media to lure children for sex. Authorities said the suspects believed they were communicating with minors or arranging to meet children who were home alone, but instead encountered undercover law enforcement officers.
Dig deeper:
According to the Georgia Supreme Court's opinion, Parsons pleaded guilty on Aug. 4, 2025, to one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. The charge stemmed from sexually explicit online conversations with someone he believed was a 14-year-old child. Three other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Parsons was sentenced to time served, lifetime parole and must register as a sex offender.
Earlier this year, Parsons was arrested for not registering as a sex offender in Forsyth County, according to Forsyth County News.
A special master appointed in the disciplinary case found that Parsons had no prior disciplinary history and cooperated with the State Bar's investigation. However, the special master concluded the offense involved serious criminal conduct with the potential for significant harm and recommended disbarment.
The Georgia Supreme Court agreed, writing that allowing an attorney convicted of a child-related sex offense to continue practicing law would erode public confidence in the legal profession. The court ordered Parsons removed from the rolls of attorneys authorized to practice law in Georgia, effective immediately.