Northern District of Georgia: Six Individuals Face Charges

In the Northern District of Georgia, six individuals have been charged as part of Operation Restore Justice. These individuals, now arraigned before a United States Magistrate Judge, face a range of serious allegations.

• Austin Hunter Bedingfield, 27, of Douglasville: Charged with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. Bedingfield allegedly distributed graphic videos depicting the abuse of minors to an undercover officer via Kik. A search of his electronic devices revealed additional images of child sexual abuse. He was arrested on April 30, 2025.
• Ian Dudar, 26, of Roswell: Charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.Dudar allegedly purchased child sexual abuse material using Bitcoin from a commercial child exploitation ring on at least four occasions in 2022. FBI agents found child sexual abuse material on two of his electronic devices during search warrants executed in January 2024. He was arrested on April 29, 2025.
• Kenneth Frazier,30,of Powder Springs: Charged with enticement of a minor,receipt of child sexual abuse material,and possession of child sexual abuse material. A search warrant executed at Frazier’s residence on November 7, 2024, yielded cell phones containing hundreds of images and videos of children as young as infants and toddlers forced to engage in sex acts.Chat transcripts allegedly revealed Frazier describing himself as a pedophile, enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity, and receiving a visual depiction of that minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. he was arrested on May 2, 2025.
• Eduardo Gardea, 26, of Norcross: Charged with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material.Gardea allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material on two internet platforms and possessed thousands of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. He was arrested on April 24, 2025.
• Connie Lynn Thompson, 52, of Grantville: Charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly destroying electronic devices to conceal the alleged child exploitation crimes of Christopher Welcher. Approximately a week after Welcher’s arrest, he allegedly called Thompson from jail and discussed a plan to destroy electronic devices containing evidence against him. The FBI recovered the damaged devices from Thompson’s household trash. She was arrested on May 16, 2025.
• Christopher Welcher, 44, of Grantville: Charged with enticement of a minor, interstate travel to engage in an illicit sex act with a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material, and commission of a felony by a registered sex offender. On March 4,2025,Welcher,a registered sex offender,allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover investigator he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Welcher then drove from Alabama to the vicinity of a northwest Georgia high school to allegedly meet and molest the girl. Police arrested Welcher upon his arrival and seized his phone, which contained hundreds of images of child sex abuse. He was arrested on May 16, 2025.

Official Statements

Attorney general Pamela Bondi emphasized the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to protecting child victims, stating:

The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims – especially child victims – and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us. I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.
Pamela Bondi, Attorney General

U.S. Attorney theodore S. Hertzberg echoed this sentiment, highlighting the heinous nature of sex crimes against minors:

Sex crimes against minors are especially heinous. We commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to hold accountable those who prey on children and achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their families.
Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney

FBI Director Kash Patel affirmed the FBI’s relentless pursuit of child predators:

Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us.Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.
Kash Patel, FBI Director

Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, emphasized the ongoing nature of these efforts:

Our commitment is resolute. FBI Atlanta remains steadfast in it’s mission to safeguard children from those who seek to harm society’s most vulnerable. However, let there be no confusion – this week’s operation is just one chapter in a relentless, year-round effort that our dedicated agents are fully invested in. We will continue to leverage every tool and resource at our disposal to track down child predators and ensure thay face justice.
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta

Legal Reminder

It is important to remember that the indictments against these individuals contain only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Prosecution and Investigation

The cases are being prosecuted by United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and Assistant United States Attorneys James Hwang, Matthew LaGrone, Leanne Marek, and Amy Palumbo.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Cobb County Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force.

Project Safe Childhood

These cases are part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.This project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, and also to identify and rescue victims.More facts about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

The Department of Justice partners with and oversees funding grants for the national Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC),which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation. NCMEC operates a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and can be found online at missingkids.org.

Call to Action

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

FAQ: Operation restore Justice

• What was Operation Restore Justice? It was a coordinated nationwide effort by the FBI and Department of justice to identify, track, and arrest child sex offenders.
• When did it take place? Between April 28 and May 1, 2025.
• How many children were rescued? 115 children were rescued during the operation.
• How many people were arrested? 205 individuals were arrested.
• How can I report suspected child exploitation? Contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or through their online portal at tips.fbi.gov.