Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Member Indicted in Child Exploitation and Cyberstalking Case

A federal grand jury has indicted Erik Lee Madison, a 20-year-old resident of Halethorpe, Maryland, on multiple charges including sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a child, and cyberstalking. Madison was initially arrested on November 6, 2025, in connection with a criminal complaint.

The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, alleges that Madison was associated with “764,” a criminal organization identified as Nihilistic Violent Extremists. This group reportedly utilizes online social media platforms to facilitate the distribution of extreme gore and child sexual abuse material, often targeting vulnerable young individuals. The indictment further claims that members of “764” engage in coordinated extortion schemes, blackmailing teenage victims to compel their compliance with the group’s demands.

According to the charges, between November 2024 and September 2025, Madison allegedly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females into engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He is accused of illegally interacting with these minors to produce and transmit visual depictions of such conduct and to participate in prohibited sexual acts. Additionally, Madison faces a charge of cyberstalking related to one of the minor victims.

If convicted, Madison faces significant federal prison sentences. For each of the three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, he could receive a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment. The coercion and enticement charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment per count. The cyberstalking charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing for federal offenses is determined by a federal district court judge, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Madison is currently being held in detention pending trial, as ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative established in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves federal, state, and local agencies working together to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, as well as rescue victims. The Justice Department continues to monitor and address the threat posed by violent extremist networks like “764,” which are known to target vulnerable individuals, including minors, through online platforms for the dissemination of harmful content and grooming.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland expressed commendation for the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Field Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department in their investigation of this matter.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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