A Tennessee man has been indicted on federal charges after prosecutors alleged he ran a multi-year online child exploitation operation tied to extremist-linked online networks.
Federal authorities identified the defendant as Zachary Sweeney, 30, of Columbia, Tennessee.
The indictment alleges Sweeney used online platforms between 2022 and 2025 to target minors, coerce them into producing child sexual abuse material and maintain control over victims through threats and manipulation.
Investigators say the case is linked to nihilistic violent extremist online networks, including groups associated with the decentralized collective known as 764.
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Federal officials describe those networks as online communities that operate across social media and encrypted platforms, often using blackmail, intimidation and coercion to exploit vulnerable people, especially minors.
According to the indictment, multiple minors were allegedly groomed online and pressured into producing explicit material.
Authorities also allege that some victims were coerced into online activity involving degrading conduct and threats.
Investigators say the material was allegedly used as leverage to continue controlling victims.
The indictment further alleges that at least one victim first encountered Sweeney as a teenager and was gradually drawn into escalating abuse over time.
Federal filings also reference one victim in the investigation who later died of a drug overdose.
Officials say the case reflects growing concern over online exploitation groups that shift between platforms, use anonymity and rely on psychological pressure to control victims.
U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek said federal law enforcement will continue targeting predators who exploit children online.
FBI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said the case should warn child predators that federal agents will pursue and arrest them.
FBI Director Kash Patel also commented on the arrest, saying the bureau and its partners had arrested another subject tied to 764-linked exploitation.
Patel said the FBI views NVE and 764-related exploitation as a major issue and urged parents to monitor children’s online activity and report suspicious behavior.
Sweeney is facing multiple federal child exploitation charges.
The case remains ongoing, and prosecutors may present additional information as it moves through federal court.
Why It Matters
The indictment highlights growing federal concern over online exploitation networks that target minors through social media, encrypted apps and coercive tactics. The alleged connection to the 764 network adds a national security and extremist-crime dimension to the case.
What Comes Next
Sweeney is expected to proceed through federal court as prosecutors pursue the charges. Investigators say the broader probe remains active, and federal officials are urging parents to watch for suspicious online behavior and report potential exploitation.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Zachary Sweeney was arrested in connection with alleged child exploitation tied to the 764 network.
🚨 Another 764 subject arrested
FBI and our partners arrested subject Zachary Sweeney out of Tennessee, who allegedly coerced multiple minors from 2022-2025 into producing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) – in some cases selling the material, traveling to abuse and drug…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 29, 2026
