In one of the largest operations of its kind, the Justice Department has announced the successful takedown of four horrifying dark web sites that trafficked in child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The joint effort—called Operation Grayskull—was carried out with the FBI and resulted in the conviction of 18 individuals so far, with more still being investigated.
The message from authorities is crystal clear: there’s no place to hide, not even in the deepest corners of the internet.
A Chilling Online Network Exposed
These dark web platforms weren’t just illegal—they were deliberately structured communities of abuse.
According to investigators, users on these sites weren’t simply exchanging illicit content.
They were actively creating, moderating, and managing massive libraries of CSAM, including material involving infants and graphic depictions of violence and sadism.
Users held “staff meetings,” set posting rules, advised others on how to avoid detection, and even tracked who was sharing what.
It wasn’t just criminal—it was chillingly organized.
Who Was Caught in Operation Grayskull?
Among the 18 people convicted so far is Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, from Eagan, Minnesota.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and distribute child pornography and was sentenced to 250 months in prison (over 20 years), along with lifetime supervised release.
He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims.
Katsampes worked his way into a leadership role on one of the websites, where he helped run operations by advising users, moderating posts, and enforcing the platform’s rules for sharing abuse content.
Other Sentences Handed Down in Florida
Eight others were also sentenced in Florida in connection to the same site Katsampes helped run.
Here’s how their punishments played out:
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Selwyn David Rosenstein (Boynton Beach, FL): 28 years, $80,500 restitution
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Matthew Branden Garrell (Raleigh, NC): Almost 21 years, $158,500 restitution
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Robert Preston Boyles (Clarksville, TN): Over 23 years, $7,500 restitution
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Gregory Malcolm Good (Silver Springs, NV): Nearly 26 years, $93,500 restitution
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William Michael Spearman (Madison, AL): Life sentence, $123,400 restitution
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Joseph Addison Martin (Tahuya, WA): 42 years, $174,500 restitution
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Joseph Robert Stewart (Milton, WA): Nearly 24 years, $19,500 restitution
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Keith David McIntosh (Grand Rapids, MI): 55 years due to a prior conviction
All were charged for similar offenses, including conspiring to advertise and distribute CSAM, with some operating at an enterprise level.
Convictions Stretch Across the U.S.
The crackdown didn’t stop in Florida.
Prosecutors across the country have also secured convictions against others linked to these websites:
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Charles Hand (Aberdeen, MD): 14 years
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Michael Ibarra (Wenatchee, WA): 12 years
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Clay Trimble (Fordyce, AR): 18 years
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David Craig (Houston, TX): 9 years
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Robert Rella (Chesapeake, VA): Nearly 6 years
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Samuel Hicks (Fort Wayne, IN): 16 years
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Richard Smith (Dallas, TX): 14 years
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Patrick Harrison (Grand Rapids, MI): Just under 6 years
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Thomas Gailus (Webbers Falls, OK): Awaiting sentencing
Two other suspects passed away before they could be charged.
The Global Reach of the Operation
Operation Grayskull wasn’t limited to the United States.
The coordinated effort led to arrests across Europe and Africa, including in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa.
This global operation illustrates just how widespread and interconnected these online abuse networks had become.
Voices from the DOJ and FBI: You Cannot Hide
Law enforcement leaders were unequivocal in their response.
“This is one of the most significant blows ever dealt to child exploitation networks on the dark web,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Anonymity will not protect predators.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti emphasized that justice caught up with people who believed they were invisible online.
“They thought they could act without consequences. They were wrong,” he said.
Prosecutors and Agents Behind the Operation
A huge team came together to make Operation Grayskull possible.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit worked closely with the Miami Field Office and West Palm Beach Resident Agency.
Legal efforts were led by Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds, Trial Attorney William G. Clayman, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller.
Field offices from at least eight states contributed directly to the investigation, as did U.S. Attorneys from various districts including Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, Washington, Michigan, and Minnesota.
A Major Step Under Project Safe Childhood
Operation Grayskull is part of a broader effort called Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the DOJ in 2006 to combat online child exploitation.
The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to investigate, prosecute, and rescue victims from abuse.
To learn more about Project Safe Childhood, you can visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A Harsh But Necessary Reality
The success of Operation Grayskull is a reminder that even in the darkest corners of the internet, justice has reach.
Though the crimes uncovered were deeply disturbing, this operation offers a glimmer of hope: the people behind these horrors are being found, exposed, and locked away—and the tools they used to hide are being stripped away one by one.
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