Tucson Man In Online Terror Network Arrested For Producing Child Sex Abuse Material, Cyberstalking
By Staff Reporter |
A 20-year-old Tucson man was arrested earlier this month for producing child sexual abuse material and cyberstalking for several terror networks online.
In a lengthy press release, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the charges against the Tucson resident, Baron Martin.
Martin allegedly participated in child sextortion sites, called “online violent terror networks” by the FBI, known as 764 and CVLT. On these networks under the moniker “Convict,” Martin would claim to own these networks. The DOJ clarified that the online terror networks remain active, even with Martin’s arrest.
“764 remains a dangerous network of violent extremists who systematically target children and weaponize child sexual abuse material for the purpose of furthering an accelerationist agenda, destroying civilized society, and causing the collapse of the U.S. Government,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Department of Justice is fully committed to stopping 764’s acts of terrorism and disrupting the 764 network.”
764 networks criminals who target vulnerable minors to produce and share extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material. Per the DOJ, 764 members seek to desensitize minors with violence and sexual abuse materials with the aim of grooming them into committing future violence.
764 members usually target female minors and have them photograph or video the mutilation of themselves or others.
The public learned of 764 about a week prior to Martin’s arrest. Cyberscoop published a report after receiving exclusive access to details of the ongoing federal investigation into 764.
764 carries loose associations with a global cybercrime collective, “The Com.” These networks engage in the targeting, grooming, extorting, and harming of children with the goal of corrupting them into effective, violent criminals capable of destroying society upon entering adulthood.
Among Martin’s alleged crimes committed online: forcing minors to self-mutilate for him, and harassing and threatening a minor with the assassination of their loved one.
In the former alleged crimes, Martin had victims cut designs into their bodies, like swastikas and satanic symbols. He threatened to leak pictures of his victims if they didn’t comply. In that latter alleged crime, Martin agreed to pay someone $3,000 to kidnap and murder a victim’s loved one.
Similar to the practices of those operating within The Com, Martin is also alleged to have created and posted a detailed guide for identifying, grooming, and extorting children. Robert Wells, executive assistant director of the FBI’s National Security Branch, described Martin’s crimes as “simply horrific.”
“The details in this case are simply horrific as the defendant allegedly coerced children to harm themselves multiple times,” said Wells. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and we take that especially seriously when it comes to the young and vulnerable. The FBI will use all of our authorities to investigate and hold accountable anyone who preys on children.”
Martin may face up to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and up to 10 years in prison for cyberstalking.
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