A 19-year-old San Antonio man identified as a leader of an online “terror” network admitted in federal court today that he directed a campaign of torture against children, coercing minors into self-mutilation, animal cruelty, and suicide attempts.
Alexis Aldair Chavez, known online as “Zack” or “Zack8884,” pleaded guilty to racketeering and federal child exploitation charges. Prosecutors say Chavez held a leadership role in the “8884” network, a faction of the broader “764” group, which federal authorities classify as a “Nihilistic Violent Extremist” (NVE) organization.
According to court filings, the group’s motivation was not financial, but ideological. Investigators say the members adhere to an “accelerationist” philosophy, seeking to dismantle the current world order and the U.S. government by spreading chaos and destroying “civilized society.”
READ: MS-13 Trio Handed Life Sentences For Maryland Machete Attacks, Stabbing Victim 143 Times
“Chavez led a group of online predators whose ultimate purpose is to destroy our society,” said Sue J. Bai, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “They tried to achieve that heinous goal by desensitizing innocent children to violence—coercing them to perform gruesome and harmful acts against themselves and animals.”
The details outlined in the plea agreement describe a series of graphic events orchestrated by Chavez between late 2023 and early 2024.
In one instance from December 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator coerced a minor female on a live video call to cut her own tongue, then torture and kill a cat while they watched. During the same month, they forced another girl to light her arm on fire, making her hold the flame until it burned through her skin and into the tissue.
READ: ‘Nefilim’ Hacker Who Feared The ‘Feds’ Pleads Guilty To Global Ransomware Plot
Other incidents detailed by prosecutors involve Chavez forcing a victim to drink her own urine and attempt an overdose on unidentified pills. In October 2023, investigators say Chavez and an associate attempted to make a girl kill herself via overdose on a video chat so they could record the death to “increase their status” within the extremist network.
“The FBI will not rest when it comes to identifying and holding accountable those who prey on children and other vulnerable individuals,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The court documents show the defendant coerced minors to commit heinous and cruel acts of self-harm.”
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons of the Western District of Texas noted that 764 members specifically target vulnerable minors online to produce exploitation material and encourage suicide.
READ: Lost At Sea: ‘El Patron’ Extradited To Texas After 42 Vanish In Caribbean Smuggling Ring
Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the San Antonio Police Department.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
