Six Middle Georgia residents charged in a federal online child predator investigation
Eight Georgia residents, including six from Middle Georgia, were charged in federal court Tuesday with attempting to coerce and entice a child for sex, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
The charges resulted from a sting operation titled “Operation Red Rover,” an investigation targeting online child predators.
The indictments allege these eight people attempted to entice children they met online to engage in sexually explicit acts in February 2024, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The indictments were returned by a federal grand jury in March and April this year.
Naimilkumar Dadawala, 35, of McDonough
Rashon Griggs, 28, of Hawkinsville
Darryl Lockett, 29, of Macon
Jose Santiago Longoria Alvarez, 45, of Fort Valley
Dewan Mitchell, 35, of Kathleen
Jon Wiltberger, 33, of Manchester, Georgia, and formerly of Phenix City, Alabama
Marquaze Williams, 31, of Eatonton
Steven Williams, 44, of Bonaire
Mitchell was additionally charged with one count of possession of child pornography, prosecutors said. Williams was also charged with one count of committing a sexual offense as a registered sex offender.
All defendants have made their initial appearance in court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment.