A member of the 764 extremist group, identified as Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 77 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material, abetting the distribution of videos depicting animal cruelty, and possessing and accessing such material with intent to view, according to federal officials. Following his incarceration, he will face lifetime supervised release and must register as a sex offender under state requirements.
764 extremist group case drew nationwide investigation
Senior Justice Department leaders said the case reflects a broader push to dismantle online predator networks tied to nihilistic violent extremism. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the sentence is a step toward justice for children harmed by 764 and similar groups.
He described the offenses as the most serious, targeting vulnerable minors in service of a violent ideology, and said federal authorities will continue to pursue such offenders.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau and Justice Department partners will continue to hold accountable individuals who prey on children. He noted the FBI has intensified efforts to identify, locate, and arrest participants in Nihilistic Violent Extremist, or NVE, networks, with personnel engaged across all 50 states.
He credited the FBI Nashville Field Office and the Knoxville Resident Agency with advancing the investigation.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Spitze was an early member of the nihilistic violent extremist groups Harm Nation and 764, and sought to advance societal collapse through terrorism, specifically by targeting children and other vulnerable people. He said the 77-year term is the longest federal sentence imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist to date.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee said the punishment reflects the severity of the crimes, which targeted impressionable children and caused significant harm. Terence G. Reilly, special agent in charge of the FBI Nashville Field Office, said investigators will use every lawful tool to dismantle these networks and protect children.
HarmNation and 764 used social media to exploit victims
According to investigators, Spitze, also known online as “Crimhn,” “Criminal,” and “Criminaloli,” belonged to the NVE group 764 and served as an administrator for its network HarmNation. Authorities said these groups use social platforms to circulate extreme gore and child sexual abuse material, and to coordinate coercion of minors to meet their demands.
The FBI began reviewing tips in December 2023 that HarmNation members were sharing abusive content. Agents identified Spitze as operating a social media channel that hosted images and videos of nude minor girls who had injured themselves, with variations of his online monikers displayed.
The channel also contained images of animal mutilation marked with similar references, investigators said.
In February 2024, agents obtained a warrant for Spitze’s cellphone and found similar material, including content involving two minor victims. One victim told the FBI she had been threatened by Spitze to create images for posting on another channel.
According to officials, Spitze admitted he acted with a terrorist motive.
Guilty plea and prosecution
Court records show Spitze pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child sexual exploitation material, one count of aiding the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count of possessing and accessing child sexual exploitation material with intent to view.
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case, with support from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Officials warn about NVE networks and online safety
The Justice Department said NVE networks such as 764 operate in the United States and abroad, using social media to disseminate abusive content and to groom or coerce victims into acts of self-harm, sexual exploitation, violence, and other crimes. Authorities urged parents and caregivers to consult FBI resources on protecting children online and noted the case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation.
The Justice Department said NVE networks such as 764 operate in the United States and abroad, using social media to disseminate abusive content and to groom or coerce victims into acts of self-harm, sexual exploitation, violence, and other crimes. Authorities urged parents and caregivers to consult FBI resources on protecting children online and noted the case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation.
Authorities noted that data from broader federal crime reporting, including metrics similar to those in recent FBI crime statistics, underscores ongoing concerns about online exploitation despite declines in some violent offenses.