A 20-year-old Halethorpe man has admitted in federal court to using the internet to terrorize and sexually exploit minors, in a case prosecutors say is tied to a broader crackdown on a violent extremist online network known as "764." Erik Lee Madison pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual exploitation of a child and cyberstalking stemming from his November 2025 arrest.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Madison sexually exploited at least 10 minor female victims and used the internet to create and share extreme material, including gore and child sexual-abuse imagery, to extort and blackmail vulnerable teens. Court documents say he coerced victims into producing sexually explicit videos, cutting themselves, and marking their bodies, and that some of the teens were located both inside and outside the United States.
As reported by CBS Baltimore, court filings outline how Madison groomed teens on social platforms and messaging apps between November 2024 and November 2025, then used threats and the release of explicit content as leverage to keep them under his control. Investigators later uncovered evidence on his devices and in associated cloud accounts after executing a search warrant in November.
Court date and penalties
Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Madison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison on the sexual-exploitation counts, along with up to 10 additional years for cyberstalking. His sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
What 764 is and why it matters
Federal officials describe "764" as a nihilistic violent-extremist network that grooms, blackmails, and exploits minors online and has been the focus of prosecutions across the country. Reporting by the Associated Press details arrests and heavy sentences for 764 alleged members, which prosecutors point to as evidence that dismantling the network is a national priority.
Help for parents and victims
If you or someone you know may have been victimized, authorities urge you to contact local law enforcement and report online exploitation to the NCMEC CyberTipline. For immediate emotional support, call or text 988. In addition, NCMEC’s Take It Down service can help remove explicit images created when a person was under 18; visit Take It Down for details.
WJZ/CBS reports that Madison's lawyers were contacted for comment. His guilty plea becomes the latest federal move in a growing series of cases targeting alleged 764 members and associates that authorities say prey on vulnerable youths in the darker corners of the internet.
