In a sweeping international crackdown, the Department of Justice has announced the completion of Operation Grayskull — a multi-year investigation that dismantled four major dark web platforms dedicated to the trade of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The operation, hailed as one of the most significant victories in the fight against online child exploitation, has led to 18 federal convictions, several life sentences, and international arrests across multiple continents.
Led jointly by the DOJ and the FBI, Operation Grayskull targeted one of the darkest corners of the internet: encrypted, invitation-only forums where thousands of offenders traded images and videos of child sexual abuse.
The investigation, carried out under the DOJ’s long-running Project Safe Childhood initiative, has already yielded life-changing sentences for the perpetrators and justice for many victims whose exploitation had circulated in hidden online spaces.
The operation began more than two years ago, when federal agents infiltrated several encrypted sites on the dark web, each of which hosted vast libraries of child sexual abuse material, some depicting infants and toddlers. According to the FBI, these platforms collectively attracted more than 120,000 registered users and saw up to 100,000 daily visits.
“These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ’s Criminal Division.
“Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we have exposed these perpetrators, eliminated their websites, and brought justice to countless victims.”
FBI Director Kash Patel, who personally oversaw elements of the investigation, described Operation Grayskull as “one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks.”
Patel emphasized that the dark web is no longer the safe haven criminals believe it to be. “You cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children,” he said. “Technology may evolve, but our resolve to protect the innocent will always stay one step ahead.”
Operation Grayskull was spearheaded by the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit.
The effort involved cooperation between multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices and international agencies, including Europol, Interpol, and law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa.
Investigators employed advanced cyber forensics to trace hidden servers, identify encrypted communications, and follow cryptocurrency transactions used to fund and sustain these illegal networks.
The FBI worked tirelessly to penetrate layers of encryption that offenders used to mask their digital footprints. Once inside, agents observed how these communities operated with alarming sophistication — complete with hierarchies, moderators, and staff meetings to manage their illicit content.
According to the DOJ, site administrators enforced strict rules regarding the posting and categorization of CSAM. They banned users who failed to comply with the “community guidelines” and maintained an extensive archive of material that investigators later seized.
The sites also distributed guides teaching members how to evade law enforcement through VPNs, encrypted messaging apps, and anonymization software.
The investigation has already led to a series of major convictions, including that of 52-year-old Thomas Peter Katsampes of Eagan, Minnesota. Katsampes was sentenced to 250 months in prison — just over 20 years — followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to victims. Court records show that Katsampes joined one of the dark web sites in 2022 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a moderator who enforced site rules and instructed others on how to share illegal material.
The Southern District of Florida handled several of the largest prosecutions, including eight men convicted of running or contributing to one of the principal sites targeted by Operation Grayskull. Their sentences range from decades in prison to life terms:
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Selwyn David Rosenstein (Boynton Beach, FL) — 28 years
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Matthew Branden Garrell (Raleigh, NC) — 20 years and 10 months
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Robert Preston Boyles (Clarksville, TN) — 23 years and 4 months
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Gregory Malcolm Good (Silver Springs, NV) — 25 years and 10 months
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William Michael Spearman (Madison, AL) — life in prison
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Joseph Addison Martin (Tahuya, WA) — 42 years
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Joseph Robert Stewart (Milton, WA) — 23 years and 9 months
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Keith David McIntosh (Grand Rapids, MI) — 55 years
Additional sentences ranged from six to fourteen years, depending on the level of involvement. Two other individuals identified in the investigation died before charges could be filed.
Internationally, arrests took place in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa, where parallel investigations uncovered similar dark web infrastructure. Several suspects are expected to face extradition to the United States for prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida praised the tireless work of law enforcement officials who coordinated across jurisdictions to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Let this be a clear warning,” O’Byrne said. “We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who collaborated closely with Patel throughout the operation, described the case as a “landmark victory for victims of one of the most heinous crimes imaginable.”
Bondi commended the international coordination that made the arrests possible. “These criminals believed they could hide in the shadows of the dark web, but today those shadows have been shattered by justice,” she said.
The DOJ confirmed that the offenders were responsible for distributing some of the most graphic and disturbing material ever encountered by investigators, including images and videos depicting extreme violence, sadism, and the abuse of infants.
Many of the victims identified through the seized content have since been located, rescued, and provided with trauma counseling and support services.
Operation Grayskull was conducted under the framework of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing threat of child exploitation online.
The program brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, using cutting-edge technology to identify, arrest, and prosecute offenders while providing support to victims.
Since its inception, Project Safe Childhood has resulted in thousands of arrests and convictions. The DOJ emphasized that Operation Grayskull represents one of its most ambitious and successful efforts to date, both in terms of scale and impact.
The operation also reflects an ongoing shift in law enforcement strategy — focusing not only on arresting individuals but on dismantling the digital infrastructure that enables large-scale exploitation.
By taking down the servers, seizing cryptocurrency accounts, and coordinating with international partners, investigators have severely disrupted the ability of these networks to regroup or migrate to new platforms.
In the aftermath of Operation Grayskull, FBI Director Patel reiterated a message to those who believe the dark web offers safety from the law. “Anonymity is not immunity,” he said.
“No matter how deep you hide, no matter how many encryption tools you use, we will find you. We will trace every byte, follow every transaction, and ensure that justice is done.”
Patel revealed that the FBI’s Cyber Division continues to monitor remnants of these networks to prevent any resurgence. Working alongside the Treasury Department, the FBI has launched a separate effort to trace financial transactions connected to dark web markets — part of a broader mission to dismantle every funding mechanism used to sustain child exploitation enterprises.
Officials also credited technological advances, including machine learning tools capable of identifying patterns in encrypted traffic and image metadata, as key to the operation’s success. These technologies have made it increasingly difficult for offenders to hide behind digital barriers.
While Operation Grayskull marks a major milestone, law enforcement officials stress that their work is far from over. New dark web forums continue to emerge, and the cycle of abuse persists in hidden corners of the internet.
However, Patel, Bondi, and Galeotti all echoed the same message: every arrest brings hope to victims and serves as a deterrent to future offenders.
“The message is clear,” said Galeotti. “If you exploit children, if you trade in their suffering, we will find you — and you will spend decades behind bars.”
Victim advocacy groups have applauded the DOJ’s actions, describing Operation Grayskull as a model for future global cooperation. “This is what justice looks like,” said Rebecca Loughlin, director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “These arrests show that no matter how hidden the abuse, it can be uncovered, and the abusers can be held accountable.”
The DOJ confirmed that more arrests are expected as digital forensics teams continue analyzing data recovered from the seized servers. Investigators are also working with social media platforms and tech companies to identify users who may have been connected to the networks but remain at large.
For the victims whose suffering formed the basis of the investigation, Operation Grayskull represents a crucial step toward healing. Federal prosecutors have pledged ongoing support to survivors, ensuring that restitution funds and victim services are prioritized.
As the dust settles from this historic operation, the message from federal law enforcement is resolute: justice may take time, but it always arrives. The takedown of these dark web networks proves that technology, when harnessed for good, can expose evil in even its most concealed forms — and that those who exploit children will face the full weight of the law.
