A California man and active member of the violent online extremist network “764” is now in federal custody, charged with blackmailing underage girls to make sadistic and sexually explicit videos for the group – all part of a more extensive operation targeting children in the US, the FBI warns.
The suspect, 28-year-old Jose Henry Ayala Casamiro of San Fernando Valley, was arrested by the FBI for his part in a violent child sexploitation ring run by the extremist online network known as 764.
Ayala is accused of targeting minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other video content depicting themselves engaging in self-harm and other forms of torture – and even suicide.
“764” is a network of nihilistic, violent extremists that seeks to accelerate social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the US government, the FBI said.
San Fernando Valley Man Arrested for Allegedly Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material Tied to Online Violent Network Known as ‘764’
undefined National Security Division, U.S. Dept of Justice (@DOJNatSec) April 4, 2025
🔗: https://t.co/cUHZl1jD4D pic.twitter.com/fKvvPRSHzq
Last fall, one of the main facilitators of the group's illegal online activities, a 47-year-old man from Michigan, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child and for his role in creating the 764 network.
The group tries to accelerate its goals through its criminal endeavors, said to primarily include going after underage girls and getting them to sexually exploit themselves online, using blackmail, extortion, and other forms of coercion.
Court documents say Ayala was involved in a group that had created a series of degrading and sexually sadistic videos where victims would be subject to torture sessions, performing sexual acts, and being forced to carve their abuser’s name or initials into various body parts, an abusive technique known as "fansigning."
In one instance, a victim had carved the name “Henry” into their forearm. In other instances, the female minors were encouraged to commit suicide, the FBI said.
Ayala was observed directing the victims in at least four of the videos and was said to be part of a new server created as a “grooming pool” to target underage girls, including two public school students from Colorado.
In jail without bond, Ayala Casamiro has been charged with attempting to possess and the possession of child pornography. An initial hearing is scheduled for April 22nd.
Growing threat to children
Last month, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released a Public Service Announcement warning of a sharp increase in "764" activities, as well as other violent online groups targeting children.
“These networks use threats, blackmail, and manipulation to coerce or extort victims into producing, sharing, or live-streaming acts of self-harm, animal cruelty, sexually explicit acts, and/or suicide,” the FBI bulletin said.
“The footage is then circulated among members of the network to continue to extort victims and exert control over them,” it said, noting that victims are being targeted worldwide. Abusers continue to control their victims through extreme fear, often threatening to share the explicit content publicly or with family and friends.
Many members have an end goal of forcing the victims to live-stream their own suicide – and even murder – for the network's entertainment or the threat actor's own sense of fame.
🚨 CRITICAL ALERT FOR PARENTS! The #FBI is sharing crucial information about a new threat to kids' safety. Watch this video from @FBIRichmond for more details: https://t.co/ppmjhU3gYp.https://t.co/Cg1GFvElfb
undefined FBI (@FBI) April 4, 2025
Using social media and gaming platforms popular among young teens, the threat actors “systematically target underage females, typically between the ages of 10 and 17 years old,” however, adult men and women have also been targeted, the FBI said.
To protect children from becoming victims, the FBI says parents should look out for specific signs, such as:
- Fresh cuts, bruises, wounds, and scars in unusual patterns
- Sudden behavior and appearance changes
- Noticing the child wearing long sleeves or pants in unusual circumstances
- Monitoring online activity and discussing the risks of sharing information and content
- Running frequent online searches of family and children’s information to help identify and prevent the spread of personal information on the internet
Parents should also look out for any unexpected packages, as the 764 members have been known to send children razor blades, sexual devices, gifts, and other materials intended for use in creating online content, the FBI warning said.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked