President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has announced a massive victory in the war against online child exploitation, unveiling the results of Operation Grayskull — a far-reaching joint investigation with the FBI that obliterated four dark web platforms trafficking in child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The operation, which spanned continents, has already resulted in 18 convictions and a cascade of lengthy prison sentences for some of the worst offenders in recent memory, The Post Millennial reported.

Among those sentenced was Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, of Eagan, Minnesota. Katsampes received 250 months in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to advertise and distribute child pornography.

According to DOJ records, Katsampes was not just a user—he was a promoter, distributor, and moderator of CSAM content, actively enforcing platform rules and instructing others on how to share vile material, including files involving prepubescent children.

“These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we have exposed these perpetrators, eliminated their websites, and brought justice to countless victims.”

FBI Director Kash Patel, who has prioritized the takedown of international trafficking rings during President Trump’s second term, praised the operation as “one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks.”

“You cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children,” Patel added. “We will find you.”

Federal investigators described the dark web platforms as among the most depraved child exploitation sites ever discovered — including dedicated sections for infants, toddlers, and content involving sadistic torture and extreme violence.

The platforms reportedly offered detailed instruction manuals on how to evade law enforcement, encouraging the use of encrypted communication and anonymization tools. An FBI official told CBS News that the websites collectively attracted over 120,000 users, with traffic surging to more than 100,000 visits in a single day.

This wasn’t random chaos—it was organized evil. The child exploitation rings operated under a strict hierarchical system, with moderators, staff meetings, and internal enforcement mechanisms to ensure consistent distribution of CSAM. Offenders were not only users—they were administrators, coders, and logistical planners running global operations under a shroud of digital darkness.

The Southern District of Florida alone sentenced eight individuals involved in one of the most active sites:

• Selwyn David Rosenstein (Boynton Beach, FL) — 28 years
• Matthew Branden Garrell (Raleigh, NC) — 20 years, 10 months
• Robert Preston Boyles (Clarksville, TN) — 23 years, 4 months
• Gregory Malcolm Good (Silver Springs, NV) — 25 years, 10 months
• William Michael Spearman (Madison, AL) — Life in prison
• Joseph Addison Martin (Tahuya, WA) — 42 years
• Joseph Robert Stewart (Milton, WA) — 23 years, 9 months
• Keith David McIntosh (Grand Rapids, MI) — 55 years

Several others received sentences ranging from nearly six to 14 years. Two suspects died before charges could be filed.

Arrests were also made internationally in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa — underscoring the global scale of the network and the reach of President Trump’s DOJ.

Operation Grayskull was led by the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, with help from U.S. Attorneys across multiple jurisdictions and international partners. The operation falls under Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative first launched in 2006 and now supercharged under Trump’s second term to root out predators wherever they hide.

“Let this be a clear warning,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne of the Southern District of Florida. “We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.”