Gilmer County man faces 44 new charges in AI-driven child exploitation case
Ronald Richardson (DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)
DECATUR, Ga. - A Gilmer County man previously charged with creating child sexual abuse material has been indicted on additional counts after prosecutors say he used artificial intelligence to manipulate ordinary photographs into explicit images.
What we know:
A grand jury in Gilmer County returned a new indictment against Ronald Richardson, 47, on July 8, adding 44 counts of sexual exploitation of children to the 76 counts he was already facing. The indictment was officially filed on July 11.
According to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, the updated charges represent more than 100 alleged victims both within Georgia and out of state.
Richardson was first arrested by Gilmer County deputies on January 17 following an extensive investigation. He has remained in custody since.
The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office took over the case in February at the request of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, citing a conflict in the original jurisdiction.
What they're saying:
"The investigation into Defendant Richardson remains active and ongoing," officials said.
What's next:
The defendant is expected to be arraigned on the updated charges.
The Source: The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office provided the details for this article.