PRESS RELEASE – On December 3, 2024, a student at Gilmer High School reported to a Deputy Sheriff (SRO) that a vendor, Ronald Richardson, who was refilling vending machines at the school, had asked her to send him pictures through a social media app, and she felt that was inappropriate.

The student told the SRO that she would talk to Richardson on a regular basis when he was at the school and had done so for approximately a year.

She stated that Richardson had often given her free soft drinks, but this was the first time she had been asked to send him pictures.

The SRO reported this information to the High School administration and then forwarded the information to the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.

An investigation began at that point and is still very active and ongoing.

Richardson has been charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of children (possession of), and it is anticipated that he could be charged with many other counts of the same.

Richardson remains in jail at the time of this press release.

Sheriff Nicholson states, “this is the first case in which artificial intelligence (AI) has factored into an investigation like this for the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office. Unfortunately, I doubt it will be the last. All of the sexually explicit (nude) photographs of the minor children that Richardson is alleged to have possessed are actually normal snapshots which he captured from various social media pages and then altered (or had altered) using AI to make the images appear nude.”

We have intentionally delayed releasing any information about this case because it is still very active. It has taken a lot of time to identify many of the minors who are victims in this case and there are several minors and parents who we have not been able to notify at this point. We hope to have all victims and parents notified within the next 48 hrs. We are asking that if anyone has potentially relevant information regarding this case to please contact Detective Dan Farnham at GCSO CID at 706-635-4646.