The National Security Division (NSD) is tasked with protecting Americans from terrorism and violent extremist threats. In a recent development, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen delivered remarks concerning the sentencing of Richard Densmore, a member of the extremist network known as 764.
Olsen stated that "the defendant in this case, Richard Densmore, is a member of a dangerous network of violent extremists known as 764." This group aims to harm children to advance their goals of undermining society and destabilizing the U.S. Government.
The network operates online, focusing on normalizing and distributing child sexual abuse material. According to Olsen, "in service of their violent ideologies, the 764 network extorts young victims into recording or livestreaming acts of self-harm." The group uses fear to control victims and has an end-goal of forcing suicides on livestreams for entertainment or notoriety within the network.
The FBI has previously issued warnings about 764 and similar groups targeting children on various platforms. Densmore allegedly facilitated these activities by running chat rooms and Discord servers for exchanging child abuse material. His actions involved coercing minors into harmful behaviors.
"Now, he is being held accountable for his crimes," Olsen said. The 30-year prison sentence highlights the Department of Justice's commitment to combating terrorism and disrupting such online networks. Olsen thanked U.S. Attorney Mark Totten's team in Michigan, NSD’s Counterterrorism Section, and the FBI for their efforts in dismantling this threat.