Ronald Richardson. Courtesy of DeKalb County Sheriff's Office DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A former school vendor convicted of using artificial intelligence and other online tools to turn ordinary photographs of children into sexually explicit images is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday. PREVIOUS STORY: Gilmer County man faces 44 new charges in AI-driven child exploitation case Ronald Richardson, 49, was found guilty Aug. 13 of 118 counts of sexual exploitation of children. His sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Gilmer County Courthouse in Ellijay. Each count carries a potential sentence of five to 20 years in prison, meaning Richardson faces a maximum combined sentence of more than 2,000 years. The investigation began in December 2024 after a Gilmer High School student reported Richardson to a school resource officer. Richardson worked as a vendor refilling drink machines at the school. The student told authorities he had asked her to send him pictures through a social media app, a request she considered inappropriate. The Gilmer County Sheriff's Office arrested Richardson in January 2025 and searched his electronic devices, vehicle and home. Investigators said they discovered hundreds of images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including altered images of minors they recognized from the Gilmer County community. Investigators ultimately identified more than 150 underage victims from Georgia and other states, according to prosecutors. Authorities…
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