DOJ, FBI joint operation dismantles four dark web child abuse sites, leads to 18 convictions

A joint operation between the Department of Justice and the FBI resulted in the dismantling of four dark web child abuse sites, and has led to 18 convictions to date.

The DOJ announced on Wednesday that one of the convictions included Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, of Eagan, Minn., who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography, and was sentenced on Tuesday to 250 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for his involvement with one of these dark web sites. Katsampes was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution.

In 2022, he joined a dark web site dedicated to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), advertised and distributed it over the website, which included CSAM depicting prepubescent children. Katsampes worked his way up to a staff position on the website, which included moderating the site, enforcing its rules for posting CSAM, and advising the site's users about how to post CSAM.

“Yesterday’s sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, from those who exploit and harm them through the despicable trade in child sexual abuse material,” U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida said in a statement.

“Thomas Peter Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran some of the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes against innocent victims, but Operation Grayskull has shut these sites down and delivered justice. We applaud the FBI and our international partners for their tireless work, and let this be a clear warning: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said, “This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks. We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.”

The 18 convictions have been made across the U.S. over several years.