Arizona man linked to online terror network on child sex abuse charges

PHOENIX — A Tucson man was arrested this week on child sex abuse charges for his active role of participating in an online terror network of “violent extremists,” authorities said.

Baron Martin, 20, was an owner of a group called “764” and used Discord, an instant messaging and social platform, to distribute child sex abuse material.

“Convict” was a nickname Martin used across social platforms since approximately 2021. He referred to himself as the “king of extortion,” bragging he taught 764 members how to extort victims while he was “the catalyst for thousands of extortions” in the group.

On social media, Martin shared a detailed guide on how to identify, groom and extort vulnerable juveniles, authorities said.

In September 2022, Martin made two 13-year-olds cut themselves for him, going as far as making one 13-year-old cut his name “in every possible place” on her body. Martin said he would leak pictures of her if she did not comply. Martin later had the same victim carve swastikas and satanic symbols into her body.

Another victim was forced to scratch herself with her nails until she bled as Martin said, “I want it dripping.” Martin then directed her to pour rubbing alcohol over her wounds before he shared three videos of her doing this to another user on Discord.

That same month, Martin allegedly also cyberstalked a different 13-year-old and threatened her grandmother over Discord.

Martin told the victim that he placed a “hit” on her grandmother, after he agreed to pay someone $3,000 to kidnap and murder the lady while providing her address.

Not only did Martin provide the grandmother’s address, but in a separate server chat he shared the 13-year-old and her grandmother’s phone numbers and told the chat to harass them.

Martin faces up to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and up to 10 years in prison for cyberstalking. He could also face a fine of up to $250,000 for each crime and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

Officials said the FBI is investigating the case.

Why are authorities targeting the ‘764’ network?

Authorities said “764” is a network of individuals who commit crimes both domestically and abroad. The group uses predatory practices to prey on vulnerable minors who are often female. Members use social media platforms to create and distribute “extreme gore media” and child sexual abuse material, according to authorities. 

The group aims to desensitize victims to gore and violence before targeting and extorting them. Victims are forced into self-half and are directed to photograph and record themselves before an online audience. Members have been known to edit compilation photographs or videos of victims and to share this content on social media platforms.

“764 remains a dangerous network of violent extremists who systematically target children and weaponize child sexual abuse material for the purpose of furthering an accelerationist agenda, destroying civilized society and causing the collapse of the U.S. Government,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said in a release. “The Department of Justice is fully committed to stopping 764’s acts of terrorism and disrupting the 764 network.”

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