Image Credit: Blount County Sheriff’s Office & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
An East Tennessee man identified by federal authorities as an original member of the violent online extremist group “764” has been sentenced to 77 years in federal prison for crimes around child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and abetting the distribution of videos depicting extreme animal abuse.
Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville was sentenced last week for the production of CSAM, abetting the distribution of “animal crushing” videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view CSAM, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Spitze’s nearly-eight-decade sentence represents the longest federal prison sentence ever imposed on what authorities classify as a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE). The DOJ describes 764 and similar networks as “online extremist groups” that target vulnerable people, especially children, through social media.
Members use threats, coercion, and blackmail to push victims into producing or providing sexually explicit materials and other violent acts, including animal abuse. Spitze, who used the online aliases “Crimh,” “Criminal”, and “Criminaloli”, was identified by federal authorities as not only a member of 764, but also an administrator of a related network called “HarmNation”.
The FBI began investigating HarmNation in 2023, eventually identifying Spitze as one of the group’s members and revealing him as the host of a social media channel containing images and videos of minor girls who had committed self-harm. Authorities said some of the images included girls with variations of Spitze’s aliases written in blood or carved into their bodies while other images showed mutilated animals.
Investigators obtained a warrant for Spitze’s cell phone in 2024, on which similar images and videos were found, leading to his arrest. Spitze ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of production of CSAM, one count of abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count related to possessing and intending to view CSAM.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said of the sentencing in an official DOJ statement, “The Department has pledged to take out online predator networks, and [Spitze’s] sentence is one step toward justice for the families and children harmed by 764. These types of crimes are the worst of the worst: preying on vulnerable children in the name of a violent and twisted ideology. Federal law enforcement will not stop until nihilistic violent extremist groups and their depraved members are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also lauded the sentencing and investigating agencies, writing, “This has been a major priority for this FBI. This sends a clear message: if you prey on children, this FBI and our DOJ partners will find you and hold you accountable. We arrested 500% more Nihilistic Violent Extremist offenders with our partners last year for a reason- because this FBI has made these predators a priority, with dedicated personnel working these cases across all 50 states. Outstanding work by our FBI Nashville Field Office and Knoxville Resident Agency.”
Similar sentiments came from Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office.
Following his imprisonment, Spitze was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and comply with special conditions that accompany that designation. But Spitze will reportedly be appealing the historic judgement, according to a notice filed in his online docket.
Johnathan Coopers, Spitze’s defense attorney, claimed that the NVE label did not exist before his client’s case and argued that prosecutors wongly attributed the broader conduct and ideology of those groups to Spitze.
“The harm Mr. Spitze caused individually was significant and serious, and he pleaded guilty to this conduct,” Cooper said. “But to increase his punishment based merely on his membership in groups and not on his own conduct is unfair.”
Federal and state authorities continue to encourage parents, guardians, and caregivers to remain vigilant about their children’s or charge’s online activity, especially as the group has seen a rising presence in Tennessee.
Sources:
https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept/status/2090191954571411616/photo/2
https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2090445916826161197
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/aug/20/east-tennessee-man-to-appeal-long-federal
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
