4 Darkish net CSAM websites shut down, at the very least 18 convicted in joint operation with DOJ – One America Information Community

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OAN Employees Abril Elfi 6:41 PM – Wednesday, July 30, 2025

At the least eighteen people have been convicted because of a coordinated operation between the Division of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI, which uncovered their involvement on 4 “darkish net” websites devoted to baby sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

On Wednesday, the DOJ introduced the main points behind Operation Grayskull, “a extremely profitable joint effort between the Division of Justice and the FBI that resulted within the dismantling of 4 darkish internet sites devoted to pictures and movies containing baby sexual abuse materials (CSAM).”

The announcement said that the operation has led to the convictions of 18 offenders, together with Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, who was sentenced to 250 months in jail and lifelong supervised launch for his involvement with one in every of these darkish internet sites. He was additionally ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution.

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In keeping with courtroom paperwork, Katsampes joined a darkish website online devoted to CSAM in 2022, he marketed and distributed CSAM on the web site, together with CSAM depicting prepubescent kids, and he ultimately labored his manner as much as a employees place on the location — which included moderating the location.

As a moderator, he would implement the location’s CSAM “posting guidelines,” in addition to advise the location’s customers the right way to put up CSAM.

“Yesterday’s sentencing reaffirms our steadfast dedication to defending our youngsters, essentially the most weak amongst us, from those that exploit and hurt them by way of the despicable commerce in baby sexual abuse materials,” U.S. Legal professional Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida stated in an announcement.

“Thomas Peter Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran among the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes in opposition to harmless victims, however Operation Grayskull has shut these websites down and delivered justice. We applaud the FBI and our worldwide companions for his or her tireless work, and let this be a transparent warning: we'll relentlessly pursue and prosecute anybody engaged in such atrocities, regardless of how they try to cowl their tracks,” the assertion continued.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated: “This operation represents probably the most important strikes ever made in opposition to on-line baby exploitation networks. We’ve not solely dismantled harmful platforms on the darkish net, however we’ve additionally introduced key perpetrators to justice and delivered a robust message: you can not cover behind anonymity to hurt kids.”

Along with Katsampes, eight others have been convicted and sentenced within the Southern District of Florida for his or her roles in working the most important web site focused by Operation Grayskull.

Selwyn David Rosenstein, of Boynton Seashore, Florida. Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography, 5 counts of commercial of kid pornography, and possession of kid pornography. Sentenced on Dec. 12, 2022, to twenty-eight years in jail and ordered to pay $80,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Matthew Branden Garrell, of Raleigh, North Carolina, Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography and conspiracy to distribute baby pornography. Sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to twenty years and 10 months in jail and ordered to pay $158,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Robert Preston Boyles, of Clarksville, Tennessee. Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography and conspiracy to distribute baby pornography. Sentenced on Aug. 15, 2023, to 23 years and 4 months in jail and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Gregory Malcolm Good, of Silver Springs, Nevada. Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography and conspiracy to distribute baby pornography. Sentenced on Aug. 22, 2023, to 25 years and 10 months in jail and ordered to pay $93,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

William Michael Spearman of Madison, Alabama. Pleaded responsible to participating in a baby exploitation enterprise. Sentenced on Jan. 23, 2024, to life in jail and ordered to pay $123,400 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Joseph Addison Martin, of Tahuya, Washington. Pleaded responsible to participating in a baby exploitation enterprise. Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 42 years in jail and ordered to pay $174,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Joseph Robert Stewart, of Milton, Washington. Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography and conspiracy to distribute baby pornography. Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 23 years and 9 months in jail and ordered to pay $19,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.

Keith David McIntosh, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pleaded responsible to conspiracy to promote baby pornography and conspiracy to distribute baby pornography, each as an individual with a previous conviction for possession of kid pornography. Sentenced on Dec. 19, 2024, to 55 years in jail.

In different judicial districts across the nation, 9 further people have been convicted for his or her involvement with these web sites as nicely, together with the next:

Charles Hand, of Aberdeen, Maryland, was prosecuted within the District of Maryland and was sentenced to 14 years in federal jail;

Michael Ibarra, of Wenatchee, Washington, was prosecuted within the Jap District of Washington and was sentenced to 12 years in jail;

Clay Trimble, of Fordyce, Arkansas, was prosecuted within the Jap District of Arkansas and was sentenced to 18 years in jail;

David Craig, of Houston, Texas, was prosecuted within the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced to 9 years in jail;

Robert Rella of Chesapeake, Virginia, was prosecuted within the Jap District of Virginia and was sentenced to 5 years and eight months in jail;

Samuel Hicks, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was prosecuted within the Northern District of Indiana and was sentenced to 16 years in jail;

Richard Smith of Dallas, Texas, was prosecuted within the Jap District of Texas and was sentenced to 14 years in jail;

Patrick Harrison, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was prosecuted within the Western District of Michigan and was sentenced to 5 years and ten months in jail.

Thomas Gailus, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, was prosecuted within the Jap District of Oklahoma, and his sentencing is pending.

In keeping with the discharge, two different people in the USA died earlier than being charged for his or her involvement with the web sites. The operation additionally resulted in arrests in the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa.