Arizona man arrested for alleged involvement in violent online terror networks
Baron Martin, a 20-year-old resident of Tucson, Arizona, was arrested Wednesday on charges of producing child sexual abuse material and cyberstalking. His arrest is connected to his involvement in online terror networks, specifically 764 and CVLT, which are known for violent extremist activities.
Martin, also known under the alias “Convict,” is charged with significant involvement in these networks since 2021. He allegedly boasted about being a leader within 764 and CVLT and provided guidance on victim extortion. The Department of Justice’s criminal complaint details his use of popular communication platforms to form and execute his plans, notably involving two minors in September 2022 to engage in self-harming acts.
U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen has described the 764 network as a dangerous organization of violent extremists. The network is said to systematically target children, utilizing child sexual abuse material in an agenda aimed at societal collapse and governmental destabilization. Olsen reaffirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to combating such acts of terrorism and dismantling these networks.
The unsealed complaint provides a grim overview of the 764 network’s operations. It describes the group’s targeting of underage populations to share extreme and violent media, desensitizing youth to violence and normalizing the dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The network is noted for its use of cybercriminal tactics and manipulation of societal norms to exploit minors, guided by a broader agenda of societal chaos.
If convicted, Martin could face up to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material, alongside a potential 10-year term for the cyberstalking offense. Both charges also include fines and the possibility of lifetime supervised release.
CyberScoop reported earlier this month that groups like 764 and the global collective of loosely associated groups known as “The Com” are using tools and techniques normally reserved for financially motivated cybercrime tactics — such as SIM swapping, IP grabbing and social engineering — to commit violent crimes.
The reports offer insight into the underbelly of the global network, showing how they are using traditional cybercriminal tools to identify, target, groom, extort, and cause physical and psychological harm to victims as young as 10. They were shared with police nationwide and in some cases, with foreign-allied governments.
Gary Restaino, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, emphasized in a release the importance of vigilance among parents and children in online environments. He noted that Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative, aims to protect youth from individual and organized threats online.
