Alleged 764 member faces up to 69 years in prison for string of suspected violent crimes | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Prosecutors accuse Tony Christopher Long of animal crushing, sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking and extortion.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-tony-christopher-long-california-charged\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alleged 764 member faces up to 69 years in prison for string of suspected violent crimes\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Prosecutors accuse Tony Christopher Long of animal crushing, sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking and extortion.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-tony-christopher-long-california-charged\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" 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readability=\"26.440269749518\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"36.128078817734\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-tony-christopher-long-california-charged\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Prosecutors accuse Tony Christopher Long of animal crushing, sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking and extortion. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/86543\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> The U.S. Department of Justice is seen on June 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"33.322816901408\"><body readability=\"68.851937727724\"><\/p>\n<p>A 19-year-old California man associated with the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/the-com-764-cybercrime-violent-crime-fbi-intellignce-report\/\">nihilistic violent extremist group 764<\/a> pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of animal crushing, sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), cyberstalking and interstate extortion in a federal court Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p>Tony Christopher Long of Porterville, Calif., allegedly committed the various criminal acts in late 2024, according to prosecutors. He is in custody, awaiting a detention hearing Thursday, and faces a combined maximum penalty up to 69 years in prison and fines up to $1.25 million. <\/p>\n<p>Long was allegedly a member of 764, an offshoot of <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-warning-the-com-cybercrime-extortion-violence\/\">The Com<\/a>, a global collective of loosely associated groups spanning thousands of people, typically between 11 and 25 years old, that commit financially motivated, sexual and violent crimes. He was also known by online monikers \u201cInactive,\u201d \u201cInactivee0\u201d and \u201cinactivecx.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Long is accused of committing multiple crimes during a two-month period, beginning early October 2024 with cyberstalking and attempted extortion of a minor living in Kern County, Calif., just south of his place of residence. Long sexually exploited a minor living in Washington state in November 2024 and possessed material depicting that victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct a month later, according to the indictment filed against Long last week. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Prosecutors also accuse Long of purposely engaging in animal crushing in late November and early December 2024. The judge overseeing Long\u2019s case in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ordered Long fully shackled for his arraignment Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence \u2014 his conduct reflects the depravity of \u2018764,\u2019\u201d Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/member-violent-extremist-network-764-charged-animal-crushing-sexual-exploitation-minor\">statement<\/a>. \u201cThese networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department describes 764 as a network of nihilistic violent extremists who \u201cengage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction and social instability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The FBI previously said members of 764 and related groups are driven by a range of personal motives, including notoriety, sexual gratification or a sense of belonging. <\/p>\n<p>Two <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/764-leaders-arrested-charged-child-sextortion\/\">alleged leaders of 764 were arrested<\/a> and charged for directing and distributing CSAM in April. The two men, Leonidas Varagiannis and Prasan Nepal, are accused of exploiting at least eight minor victims, some as young as 13 years old, and face charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>You can read the full indictment below. <\/p>\n<p> <\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.3792452830189\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Kapko\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Kapko<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Kapko is a reporter at CyberScoop. His beat includes cybercrime, ransomware, software defects and vulnerability (mis)management. The lifelong Californian started his journalism career in 2001 with previous stops at Cybersecurity Dive, CIO, SDxCentral and RCR Wireless News. Matt has a degree in journalism and history from Humboldt State University. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":8116,"date":"2025-10-29T14:21:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=86543"},"modified":"2025-10-29T14:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:21:51","slug":"alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/10\/29\/alleged-764-member-faces-up-to-69-years-in-prison-for-string-of-suspected-violent-crimes\/","title":{"rendered":"Alleged 764 member faces up to 69 years in prison for string of suspected violent crimes"},"content":{"rendered":"