A Nihilistic Violent Extremist based in San Antonio was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, lifetime supervised release, and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution for racketeering activity and multiple crimes tied to the sexual exploitation of children, according to court filings and officials.
Prosecutors said the defendant, Alexis Aldair Chavez, 19, who used the names Zack and Zack8884, served as an administrator and online leader within the 8884 network, which is related to the 764 network. Authorities describe these NVE groups as accelerationist, seeking social unrest and the collapse of existing institutions, including the U.S. Government. Members of 8884 coordinated efforts to corrupt and exploit vulnerable people, including minors, to advance that aim.
Officials said NVE groups perpetrate crimes in the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals rooted in hostility toward society and a desire to foment chaos and instability. According to the Justice Department, these groups coerce and extort victims into violent conduct, including self-harm, sexual exploitation, abuse of animals, and acts or threats of violence, up to and including suicide and murder.
“Chavez’s crimes reveal the ruthless exploitation and manipulation at the core of NVE groups,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said. He added that the department will use every available resource to pursue 764-linked criminal activity and protect children.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas called the conduct “among the most disturbing” his office has prosecuted and urged parents to stay engaged in their children’s online lives.
Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division said the bureau prioritizes identifying and arresting NVEs who coerce juveniles into self-harm and will continue working with Justice Department partners to hold offenders accountable.
Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith of the FBI San Antonio Field Office urged families to stay alert to online risks and report suspicious activity, noting that offenders use social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, chat rooms, and video services to groom children.
Nihilistic Violent Extremist case details
According to court documents, around October 2023 Chavez and a co-conspirator attempted to coerce a minor girl to kill herself on a video chat by overdosing on pills, recording the attempt to gain status within 8884. About two months later, Chavez and the same minor victim worked together to force a woman overseas to undress on camera, cut herself, and engage in sexual acts. They also extorted another woman, compelling her to carve the name “Zack” into her skin.
Around Dec. 29, 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator forced another minor to cut her tongue and to torture and kill a cat during a live video call, according to prosecutors. That month, Chavez and another associate groomed and extorted several additional minor girls. In one case, they coerced a victim to set her arm on fire on a recorded video chat within the 8884 channel. In another, they forced a minor to drink her own urine and attempt to overdose on unknown pills.
On or about Jan. 23, 2024, Chavez and a co-conspirator threatened and coerced a minor victim into sexually obscene conduct and other egregious acts, according to the case record.
Chavez was arrested on Oct. 24, 2024, and on Dec. 19, 2025, pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Investigation and prosecution
The FBI San Antonio Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Bill Harris for the Western District of Texas, along with Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Ongoing efforts to combat NVE networks
The Justice Department said it remains vigilant against NVE networks such as 764 that operate domestically and internationally. Officials noted that these groups often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media to circulate child sexual abuse material and gore, and to groom victims for violence. Victims are frequently coerced, extorted, or blackmailed into self-mutilation, sexual acts, abuse of animals, violence, and threats, as well as suicide and murder.
The department pointed to resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers on online risks, including a March 2025 FBI public service announcement. A related enforcement action involving international conduct is described in the case of a Massachusetts man convicted in an Iran sanctions export case.
This case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders and rescue victims. More information is available at justice.gov/psc.