A Los Angeles man was arrested Thursday on federal charges of targeting and sexual exploitation of children as part of an online counterculture movement that wants to bring about the collapse of society.
Jose Henry Ayala Casamiro, 28, was taken into custody by federal agents on charges that he possessed child pornograhpy and belonged to an online group that encouraged and groomed minor children to engage in violent and sexual behavior.
“Ayala caused minors to produce child sexual abuse material as well as other video content depicting themselves engaging in self-harm,” a release from the U.S. Department of Justice reads.
Ayala is accused of being part of a global online group whose aim is to destabilize and destroy civilization by “corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.”
The DOJ says this group is made up of “nihilistic violent extremists” who work together to groom and sexually exploit children, coercing them into creating child pornography and videos of them committing “sadistic sexual acts” and torture, including carving the names of their abusers into their skin. Sometimes the abuse elevates to the members urging the young girls to commit suicide, officials said.
Charging documents allege that Ayala told ten girls to engage in specific sexual acts. He’s also accused of participating in a new online server that was described as a “grooming pool” for future victims.
Ayala has been charged with federal crimes and made his initial court appearance shortly after his arrest. He is being held without bail and is due back in court on April 22.
Last month, a Florida man who belonged to the same online group was sentenced to seven years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possessing hundreds of images of child pornography.
In January, four neo-Nazis who belonged to a similar online group were charged with similar crimes. Two of their victims were located in Southern California, the DOJ said at the time.
United States Attorney Bill Essayli called the charges against Ayala “disturbing,” and issued a warning about “criminals [who] lurk in the internet’s dark corners to prey on and do lasting damage to children.”
Essayli said Ayala’s arrest should serve as a notice to all online predators: “We will find you and arrest you if you hurt children.”
For information about reporting online child sexual exploitation and abuse, click here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental distress or suicidal thoughts, you can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by phone call or text. You can also visit 988lifeline.org.