Maine teen tied to violent 764 group is sentenced to prison for child sexual exploitation

A teenager from Maine with ties to the violent 764 network has been sentenced to prison for sexually exploiting children, the FBI said Tuesday.

The case against the 17-year-old marks the first time a juvenile has been charged in federal court with crimes carried out as part of online nihilistic groups connected to the 764 network, according to the FBI’s Boston office, which led the investigation.

“This first-in-the-nation case should make it crystal clear that if you conspire to commit violent, extremist crimes, your age will not shield you from accountability,” Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, said in a statement. “What this juvenile did would shock most people to their very core, and it is our hope that by publicizing this case, others will be deterred from making the same devastating choices this teen did.”

The extremist 764 network, formed by a Texas teenager in 2021 and named after his ZIP code, is made up of people who seek to coerce and manipulate children into engaging in sexual acts and committing crimes.

The FBI says it’s investigating more than 500 people nationwide who have links to the violent online network, which has given…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health