A 27-year-old man from Downey has been arrested on federal charges of possessing child pornography after authorities linked him to an online network of violent extremists, according to court records.
Dong Hwan Kim was taken into custody Wednesday at his home by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Justice Department said. He was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and is expected to make his first court appearance Friday.
The complaint alleges that Kim coerced several minor girls into producing sexually explicit photos and videos between 2022 and the present. Prosecutors say Kim threatened to expose the material to family members and others if the victims refused to provide additional images.
Investigators believe Kim was active in an online extremist group known as “764,” which the FBI describes as a network of nihilistic violent extremists. Members of the group allegedly engage in criminal activity, including the sexual exploitation of children.
According to the FBI, so-called nihilistic violent extremists often target vulnerable people, particularly minors, using social media platforms to share explicit images, graphic violence, and other disturbing material. Victims may be pressured into acts of self-harm, animal abuse, or sexual exploitation, the complaint says.
Court documents allege that Kim not only solicited explicit content from minors but also shared child sexual abuse material with others.
In one instance, he allegedly boasted of his actions, calling himself an “OG” after being praised by another user. Agents said they recovered several explicit images and videos during a search of his home.
The complaint also includes statements from a minor who said Kim ran an online server where child pornography was created, shared and traded. Victims were allegedly coerced into degrading acts, including self-mutilation and sexual exploitation, according to prosecutors.
Kim is known to have used online aliases such as “Ryzen” and “Lobster,” investigators said. The FBI believes there may be additional victims who have not yet been identified and urged anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
If convicted, Kim faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
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