A Walton man was among eight individuals arrested in New York’s Northern District as part of a nationwide federal crackdown on child exploitation crimes, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a press release May 7.
Jerry N. Butler III, 19, of Walton, was charged after allegedly using a social messaging platform to solicit sexually explicit content from a minor. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted.
Federal authorities allege Butler is affiliated with an online group known as “764,” whose members are accused of targeting vulnerable individuals, including minors, for extortion and abuse. Investigators believe Butler helped operate an online subgroup of 764 that spanned multiple platforms and was involved in the coercion of minors, the production and dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and other conduct, including the encouragement of self-harm and animal cruelty.
Butler’s arrest was one of 205 made nationwide as part of Operation Restore Justice, a five-day enforcement action led by the FBI, in collaboration with all 55 FBI field offices, the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The operation also resulted in the rescue of 115 children.
Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten, said FBI Director Kash Patel in a press release. “There is no place to hide for those who prey on children,” Patel said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case against Butler.
Federal officials noted that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
