Former National Guardsman Sentenced for Attempting to Entice Teen to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

Rome, GA – A 46-year-old Adairsville man was sentenced on February 11th to a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to entice a minor to produce sexually explicit images of herself.

William Eric Cooper, formerly of the Georgia National Guard, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II to 120 months (10 years) in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

“Cooper is a predator who deserves this significant sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Through quick and excellent work, our law enforcement partners rescued an exploited child, exposed Cooper’s deviant conduct, and brought a sex offender to justice.”

According to court documents and statements from prosecutors, the case began in February 2025 when FBI agents in North Carolina rescued a 15-year-old girl who had been abducted and sexually assaulted. During the investigation into her kidnapping, agents discovered that Cooper had exchanged more than 1,000 text messages with the girl in the weeks and months leading up to the abduction.

In those messages, Cooper allegedly discussed plans to meet the teenager for sex and repeatedly encouraged her to record and send him sexually explicit videos of herself. The communications formed the basis of the federal charge of attempted enticement of a minor.

Cooper was arrested in March 2025. A search of his residence and cell phone uncovered more than 250 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material.

At the time of the offense, Cooper was employed by the Georgia National Guard. Following his arrest, he was separated from the military and received an Other than Honorable discharge.

“William Cooper is a dangerous predator who attempted to exploit a vulnerable child,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “Thanks to swift law enforcement action, we ensured that he will face the full consequences of his horrific actions.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case alongside U.S. Attorney Hertzberg.

Cooper pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a child on August 25, 2025. Sentencing took place on February 11, 2026, in the U.S. District Court in Rome, Georgia.