WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Four dark web child abuse sites were dismantled and 18 offenders were convicted in a joint operation by the Department of Justice and the FBI.
'Operation Grayskull' resulted in the dismantling of four dark web sites dedicated to images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
The most severe punishment was delivered to a Minnesota man, Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, who was managing the Dark Web Sites.
He was sentenced to 250 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for his involvement with one of these dark web sites. He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution, the Department of Justice said.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography on February 27. According to court documents, Katsampes joined a dark web site dedicated to child sexual abuse material in 2022. He advertised and distributed child sexual abuse material over the website, including depicting prepubescent children, and eventually worked his way up to a staff position on the web site. He was in charge of moderating the site, enforcing the site's rules for posting child sexual abuse material, and advising the site's users about how to post them.
In addition to Katsampes, eight others were convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Florida for their involvement in running the primary site targeted by Operation Grayskull.
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