Dark web CSAM Archives - Survivors Rights

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Public Affairs, four dark web child abuse sites have been eradicated, leading to the conviction of 18 offenders to date, landing them a collective 300-plus years in prison. The July 23 announcement by the Justice Department said the results of Operation Grayskull, a highly successful joint effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI, dismantled online content dedicated to images and videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). To date, the operation has led to the convictions of 18 offenders, including a Minnesota man who was sentenced July 22 to 250 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for his involvement with one of these dark web sites. He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution. “Today’s announcement sends a clear warning to those who exploit and abuse children: you will not find safe haven, even on the dark web,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong. Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners we have exposed these perpetrators for who they are, eliminated their websites and brought justice to countless victims.” “This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.” “Yesterday’s sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, from those who exploit and harm them through the despicable trade in child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Thomas Peter Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran some of the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes against innocent victims, but Operation Grayskull has shut these sites down and delivered justice. We applaud the FBI and our international partners for their tireless work, and let this be a clear warning: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.” Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, of Eagan, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography on Feb. 27. According to court documents, Katsampes joined a dark web site dedicated to CSAM in 2022, advertised and distributed CSAM over the website, including CSAM depicting prepubescent children, and eventually worked his way up to a staff position on the web site, which, among other things, involved moderating the site, enforcing the site’s rules for posting CSAM, and advising the site’s users about how to post CSAM. In addition to Katsampes, eight individuals have been convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Florida for their involvement in running the primary site targeted by Operation Grayskull. They are: Selwyn David Rosenstein of Boynton Beach, Florida; sentenced to 28 years in prison. Matthew Branden Garrell of Raleigh, North Carolina; sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Robert Preston Boyles of Clarksville, Tennessee; sentenced to more than 23 years in prison. Gregory Malcolm Good of Silver Springs, Nevada; sentenced to more than 25 years in prison. William Michael Spearman of Madison, Alabama; sentenced to life in prison. Joseph Addison Martin of Tahuya, Washington; sentenced to 43 years in prison. Joseph Robert Stewart of Milton, Washington; sentenced to more than 23 years in prison. Keith David McIntosh of Grand Rapids, Michigan; sentenced to 55 years in prison. The website’s leaders advertised and distributed CSAM, promulgated rules for the website, enforced the rules by banning or scolding users who violated them, held staff meetings, recruited members to serve as staff members, recommended users for promotion, edited and deleted user posts, praised individuals for participating in and contributing to the website, kept records of CSAM posts made by individual members, and paid for and maintained the website servers, among other things. Operation Grayskull resulted in the dismantling of a total of four sites dedicated to images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. These websites were some of the most egregious on the dark web. The websites also contained detailed advice on how to avoid detection by law enforcement – for example, by using sophisticated technologies. In other judicial districts around the country, nine additional individuals have been convicted for their involvement with these websites, including the following: Charles Hand, of Aberdeen, Maryland, was prosecuted in the District of Maryland and was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison; Michael Ibarra, of Wenatchee, Washington, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Washington and was sentenced to 12 years in prison; Clay Trimble, of Fordyce, Arkansas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas and was sentenced to 18 years in prison; David Craig, of Houston, Texas, was prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced to nine years in prison; Robert Rella of Chesapeake, Virginia, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison; Samuel Hicks, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was prosecuted in the Northern District of Indiana and was sentenced to 16 years in prison; Richard Smith of Dallas, Texas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Texas and was sentenced to 14 years in prison; Patrick Harrison, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was prosecuted in the Western District of Michigan and was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison. Thomas Gailus, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and his sentencing is pending. Two other individuals in the United States died before being charged for their involvement with the websites.

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Operation Grayskull Results in Lengthy Sentences for 18 Managers of Dark Web Child Sexual Abuse Material

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