US federal authorities have taken down a massive dark web network trading child sexual abuse material, in what the justice department described as “one of the most successful” operations of its kind.The move has resulted in the conviction of at least 18 individuals across the United States.The man at the centre of the investigation, William Spearman, known online as “Boss,” was arrested in November 2022 during a high-risk raid on his home in Madison, Alabama. The search warrant for his arrest was deemed so critical it received direct approval from the FBI director himself. Agents breached his home using tactical explosives, and despite Spearman fighting back, with three handguns within arm’s reach, he was subdued and arrested.His capture marked a pivotal moment in Operation Grayskull, a years-long investigation that uncovered four of the most heavily trafficked child exploitation websites on the dark web. The FBI said these platforms were responsible for hosting and distributing hundreds of thousands of sexually exploitative images of children, with a million files, having over 120,000 members and recording upwards of 100,000 visits in a single day.“This is one of the most successful of all time,” said Matthew Galeotti, head of the justice department’s criminal division. “We dismantled four websites that have not regenerated.”Spearman pleaded guilty a year after his arrest and has since been sentenced to life imprisonment. Prosecutors described him as “one of the most significant” distributors of child sex abuse material globally. A sentencing memo noted that his refusal to surrender peacefully stemmed from the troves of incriminating evidence on his devices. “The devices at his desk contained massive quantities of evidence proving that he was the lead administrator of Website A,” the memo cited by CBS News said.“Unsurprisingly, the defendant’s devices also contained an enormous collection of images and videos depicting the rape and abuse of children.”The investigation began in 2020 after authorities observed an alarming increase in traffic to a suspected dark web child abuse site. That discovery quickly led to a broader international operation, exposing a deeply embedded and technologically advanced network of abusers.“These are people who have a more of a technical understanding,” Galeotti said. “The defendants in this case, as sadistic as they may be, are somewhat sophisticated,” noting the use of encryption and other evasive tools.Among those convicted was Selwyn Rosenstein, who in 2022 was sentenced to 28 years in prison. His platform, prosecutors said, “was not simply a website; it was a large, active community of pedophiles and (abuse material) enthusiasts. And it existed in part because of the Defendant’s criminal acts.” Rosenstein stored so many illicit images that he needed to keep some on servers tied to his business operations.Another key figure, Matthew Garrell from Raleigh, North Carolina, was jailed for 20 years. Prosecutors revealed that Garrell had built an “extremely complex and technologically sophisticated conspiracy,” complete with a predator’s “handbook” containing detailed child grooming instructions.Members of these dark web communities were often required to contribute abusive content, pay membership fees, or assist with site moderation to gain access. “They were part of an online community of hundreds of thousands of people, with leadership roles, rules and a common dedicated purpose,” said Chris Delzotto, acting FBI deputy assistant director.“Few people would have envisioned how (child abuse materials) would permeate the internet, the way it has today,” he added.The FBI has confirmed that the same leadership team operated several of the shuttered sites. Abbigail Beccaccio, an FBI unit chief, said, “The leadership team that operated one of the sites also operated several of the others.”The scope of Operation Grayskull extended nationwide, with convicted individuals hailing from Virginia, Maryland, Indiana, Texas, Washington, Arkansas, Michigan, and Oklahoma. The Department of Justice is hailing the takedown as a major victory in its ongoing fight against online child exploitation.“Even for prosecutors, it is difficult to understand how pervasive this is,” Galeotti said. “Because it happens on the dark web, people aren’t aware of it. It’s extremely troubling.”
