Baron Martin Faces First Federal Terrorism Charge in 764 Case

Baron Cain Martin, a 21-year-old from Tucson, Arizona, is the first alleged member of the online 764 network to face a federal terrorism charge, part of a 29-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the District of Arizona on October 29, 2025.¹ Prosecutors describe him as a leader of 764 who used the moniker “Convict” to run a child exploitation enterprise, coerce minors into self-harm on camera, and conspire to kill or maim a victim overseas. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on December 11, 2024, and is scheduled for trial on June 30, 2026.²

The 29 Counts and Why the Terrorism Charge Is a First

The superseding indictment, announced October 30, 2025, charges Martin with:

Participating in a child exploitation enterprise
Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists
Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, or maim persons in a foreign country
Five counts of producing child pornography
Eleven counts of distributing child pornography
Three counts of coercing and enticing minors to engage in sexual activity
Three counts of cyberstalking
Animal crushing and distribution of animal crush videos
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire¹

The material-support count is what makes the case unprecedented. The government has not designated 764 as a foreign terrorist organization, which would be the usual route for a terrorism charge under 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. Prosecutors instead built the charge under § 2339A on the theory that Martin provided “himself as personnel, services, and expert advice or assistance” to carry out a conspiracy to kill or maim a person in a foreign country, specifically by coercing a victim living outside the United States into self-harm and suicide in September 2022. FBI Director Kash Patel said Martin’s “actions as a leader of this criminal network were so atrocious and extreme that he is charged with supporting terrorism.”¹

The child exploitation enterprise count alone carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. Under federal law, that charge requires proof that the defendant committed at least three separate incidents involving more than one victim in concert with three or more other people.³ Martin is presumed innocent.

What Prosecutors Allege Martin Did

According to the indictment, Martin joined 764 around 2019 and claimed ownership of both 764 and its subgroup CVLT. He went by “Convict” along with at least 14 other aliases and described himself as the “king of extortion” and “the catalyst for thousands of extortions.”⁴ Prosecutors say he administered 764 chatrooms, controlling access and making demands of victims.⁵

The indictment identifies at least nine victims, eight of them between 11 and 15 years old at the time of the alleged offenses.¹ Among the specific allegations:

In September 2022, Martin allegedly forced a 13-year-old girl to carve the word “Convict,” swastikas, and satanic symbols into her chest, stomach, and thighs, threatening to leak images of her if she refused. Prosecutors say the injuries caused permanent disfigurement.⁵
The same victim was allegedly forced to have her family dog attack a hamster, stomp on the animal’s head, and feed it to the dog while Martin recorded.⁵
Martin allegedly directed a 16-year-old girl to scratch herself to draw blood and pour rubbing alcohol onto the wounds, then shared video of the abuse.⁴
An 18-year-old was allegedly coerced into cutting a symbol into her forehead, with a photo of the injury shared online.⁵
After an online dispute in 2022, Martin allegedly offered $3,000 to have a 13-year-old victim’s grandmother killed and posted the victim’s and grandmother’s phone numbers to the network for harassment.⁴
He allegedly conspired to coerce a victim living outside the United States into self-harm, self-maiming, and suicide. That allegation anchors the material-support-for-terrorism charge.¹

Prosecutors also say Martin authored and distributed an online guide instructing others how to identify, groom, and extort vulnerable juveniles, specifically advising that targets be chosen from among children struggling with mental health issues.¹

What 764 Is

764 is a decentralized, transnational online network the FBI and Department of Justice classify as a group of “Nihilistic Violent Extremists.” It takes its name from the first three digits of the ZIP code of Stephenville, Texas, home to founder Bradley Cadenhead, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to child pornography charges and is serving an 80-year sentence.⁶⁷

The network operates across Discord, Telegram, and gaming platforms including Minecraft and Roblox. Members adopt neo-Nazi and satanist imagery largely for shock and status. According to the DOJ, the group’s stated goal is to “desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms” and to “accelerate chaos.”⁶⁸ Members groom children online, extract compromising material, then use it as leverage to force victims to carve members’ names or extremist symbols into their skin, self-harm, abuse animals, and in some cases attempt suicide on camera. Those recordings function as currency within the hierarchy. The FBI has designated 764 a “Tier One/Category 1” terrorist threat and reports more than 350 active investigations into suspected members, with every one of its 56 field offices handling at least one case.⁹

Arrest, Detention, and the Superseding Indictment

The FBI arrested Martin on December 11, 2024, when he was 20. The original complaint charged him with producing child sexual abuse material and three counts of cyberstalking.⁴ He pleaded not guilty.⁵

At a detention hearing on January 10, 2025, Magistrate Judge Maria S. Aguilera ordered Martin held pending trial. He appealed, and on February 4, 2025, District Judge Angela M. Martinez conducted a fresh review and affirmed the detention, finding Martin had not rebutted the presumption for detention.² The grand jury returned the 29-count superseding indictment nearly 11 months later.

Trial Schedule and Current Status

The case, assigned to Judge Martinez under docket number 4:25-cr-00190, was designated “complex” in December 2025 because of the volume of digital evidence. The court vacated an earlier March 2026 trial setting and reset it. The plea deadline is June 19, 2026, and the jury trial is scheduled for June 30, 2026. No plea agreement or suppression motions appear in the docket.² Martin remains in federal custody.

Where Martin’s Case Fits in the Federal Crackdown

At least 15 people have been arrested by state and federal authorities on 764-related charges ranging from child pornography to weapons offenses.⁷ Other notable federal cases:

Leonidas Varagiannis (“War”), 21, a U.S. citizen living in Greece, and Prasan Nepal (“Trippy”), 20, of North Carolina, were arrested in late April 2025 and charged in the District of Columbia with operating an international child exploitation enterprise through a core 764 subgroup called “764 Inferno.” They face up to life in prison.¹⁰
Alexis Aldair Chavez, 19, of San Antonio, administered the “8884” subgroup. He pleaded guilty in December 2025 to racketeering, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, each count carrying a maximum of 20 years. Sentencing was pending as of mid-2026.¹¹
Dong Hwan Kim, 27, of Downey, California (aliases “Ryzen” and “Lobster”), was arrested in August 2025 on a federal complaint for possession of child pornography tied to 764. He faces up to 20 years if convicted.¹²

None of those earlier prosecutions carried a material-support-for-terrorism count. That is what sets Martin’s case apart, and it is why the outcome of his trial is likely to shape how federal prosecutors pursue other 764 members going forward.

1
U.S. Department of Justice. Arizona Leader of Violent Extremist Network 764 Charged With Running Child Exploitation Enterprise
2
CourtListener. United States v. Martin
3
Cornell Law Institute. 18 U.S. Code § 2252A
4
U.S. Department of Justice. Arizona Man Associated With Online Terror Network Arrested for Production of Child Sex Abuse Material
5
ABC News. DOJ Brings Terrorism Charge Against Alleged Member of 764 Network
6
ADL. 764
7
ABC News. FBI Opened 250 Investigations Tied to Violent Online Network
8
The Hill. DOJ Terrorism Charge Arizona 764
9
FBI. Open Letter to Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers
10
U.S. Department of Justice. Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged With Operating Global Child Exploitation Enterprise
11
U.S. Department of Justice. 764 Extremist Group Leader Pleads Guilty to RICO Child Exploitation Charges
12
FBI. Downey Man Suspected of Membership in the 764 Nihilist Violent Extremist Group Arrested