A 19-year-old from San Antonio, Alexis Aldair Chavez, recently pleaded guilty to several charges related to the sexual exploitation of children. Chavez served as an administrator and leader within 8884, a splinter group of the violent extremist collective known as 764. He faces a potential sentence of up to 60 years in prison for racketeering, as well as the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Chavez has been held without bail since his arrest in October 2024.
Chavez’s involvement with 764 began in 2022, while he was still a minor. A co-conspirator introduced him to 7997, one of numerous 764 offshoots connected to The Com. Law enforcement agencies characterize The Com as an extensive, nihilistic, violent extremist network comprising thousands of individuals, primarily aged 11 to 25. This network is involved in an increasing online threat, coercing vulnerable children into producing CSAM, gore, self-mutilation, sibling abuse, animal abuse, and other violent acts.
Sue Bai, principal deputy assistant attorney general for national security, stated in a statement that Chavez headed a group of online predators whose ultimate aim was societal destruction. Bai explained that the group sought to achieve this by desensitizing children to violence, coercing them into performing gruesome acts against themselves and animals, with the intention of fostering more violence and spreading chaos.
According to federal court records, prosecutors revealed that Chavez gained entry to 7997 chat rooms by killing his cat and sharing a video of the act. He subsequently groomed several victims, using blackmail and coercion to exploit even more individuals, all to enhance his standing within the group.
In late 2023, Chavez attempted to coerce one girl into suicide and blackmailed another into self-mutilation, animal torture, and the creation of illicit content. He then collaborated with co-conspirators, using some of his victims to blackmail other girls into performing degrading acts on camera and producing CSAM.
The indictment against Chavez, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, outlines a series of horrific crimes he committed alongside co-conspirators and some of his victims.
Additionally, Chavez coerced several minors into self-harm or other depraved acts during video chats within the 8884 channel.
Allison Nixon, chief research officer at Unit 221B, informed CyberScoop that the depraved acts detailed in the indictment are considered commonplace among individuals involved in these groups.
Nixon, who has over a decade of experience studying and tracking the rise of domestic and English-speaking cybercrime, described 764 as a “very important tar pit for certain rare, risky personalities” that warrants scientific investigation.
She added that “8884 and 7997 are part of a homogenous 764 copycat soup. All of these groups start to blend together.” Nixon noted that most participants are driven by attention-seeking, with a culture centered on outdoing each other in depravity, ultimately leading to their uniformity.
In July 2024, when the FBI executed a search warrant at Chavez’s home, prosecutors stated that he attempted to conceal evidence by exiting through the back door and throwing his phone over a neighbor’s fence.
Chavez’s guilty plea comes after a year of increased law enforcement efforts, which have resulted in the arrests of several alleged 764 leaders and members.
In April, two alleged leaders of 764, Leonidas Varagiannis and Prasan Nepal, were arrested and charged with directing and distributing CSAM. They are accused of exploiting at least eight minor victims, some as young as 13, and face potential life sentences.
Baron Cain Martin, from Tucson, Arizona, reportedly joined the child sextortion ring in 2019 and later became a leader before his arrest late last year. Martin faces 29 charges, with a potential life sentence if convicted.
Tony Christopher Long, from California, pleaded not guilty last month to several charges linked to his alleged participation in the nihilistic violent extremist group. These charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 69 years in prison.
Erik Lee Madison, from Maryland, was arrested in November, accused of victimizing at least five children this autumn, one of whom was 13 years old. His alleged criminal activity reportedly began in 2020, when he was a minor.
Nixon commented that all 764 cases presented by law enforcement have been of high quality and successful, expressing hope for the continuation of this work.
Chavez’s sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2026.
