Three individuals, including a registered sex offender from Coweta County, have pleaded guilty to federal child enticement and evidence tampering charges in Rome, Georgia. The pleas were entered on August 15, 2025, with U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg personally overseeing the proceedings.
“Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities for law enforcement at every level,” said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. “In northwest Georgia, state and local officers collaborate closely with federal agents to keep our kids safe. My office is fully committed to supporting their efforts, and, while I serve as United States Attorney, I will continue to prosecute these important cases personally.”
“These crimes are especially disturbing. Those who engage in child exploitation will be held accountable for their conduct,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI will remain vigilant and continue our active role to ensure children are protected and justice is sought for victims.”
“The GBI remains dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities and ensuring offenders face justice,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “We will continue working alongside our partners to safeguard children from those who seek to exploit them. These guilty pleas send a clear message: those who prey on children will be held accountable.”
According to information presented in court by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, Christopher Welcher—previously convicted in 2016 for distributing images of child sexual abuse—was on post-release supervision when he exchanged sexually explicit messages with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl on March 4, 2025. Welcher suggested sexual activity that would amount to aggravated child molestation under Georgia law and traveled to Floyd County intending to meet the minor near a public high school before being arrested by police at the scene.
A search of Welcher’s cell phone uncovered hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse.
While detained at Floyd County Jail on March 12, Welcher called his wife Connie Thompson and discussed plans for her to destroy electronic devices at their Grantville home containing illegal material—a conversation recorded by authorities. By the time FBI agents executed a search warrant at Thompson’s residence, she had already damaged two digital storage drives and discarded them; although recovered from the trashcan by law enforcement, they could not be repaired.
In an unrelated case about one week later, Bartow County resident William Eric Cooper was arrested after exchanging over 1,000 chat messages between February 6-24 with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl—who identified herself as a ninth grader early in their communication. Cooper instructed her to produce sexually explicit content for him in exchange for his promise of helping her run away from home; searches of his seized devices revealed both video evidence involving this victim and more than 250 files showing other minors engaged in similar acts.
Welcher (45) and Cooper (45) each pled guilty to enticement charges carrying mandatory minimum sentences of ten years’ imprisonment—with life sentences possible—and Welcher faces an additional five-year minimum due to violating supervised release conditions. Thompson (52) faces up to twenty years if convicted on evidence tampering charges; there is no parole available under federal sentencing guidelines.
Sentencing hearings are set for November 21 before United States District Judge William M. Ray II.
The investigations involved collaboration among multiple agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Police Department, and Grantville Police Department.
Prosecution is being handled by U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin A Leipold III.
These cases fall under Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in February 2006 aimed at preventing online exploitation and abuse of children through coordinated efforts across all levels of government agencies nationwide.
More details about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Further information about these cases or related matters may be obtained via USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
