A Maryland man allegedly affiliated with an infamous online sextortion network has been arrested for crimes committed against a minor in Idaho. Jacob William St. Peter, 19, was arrested on a nationwide warrant on Tuesday, February 3, by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland, with the assistance of the Department of War and the Naval Criminal Investigative Services. The arrest stems from his alleged contact with a minor in Nampa. St. Peter is formally charged with sexual abuse of a child under 16 years, which is a felony. The investigation began in December 2025 when a Nampa resident reported to police their child had received unsolicited explicit images from an unknown adult male through a number of online platforms. Authorities were able to link St. Peter to the images through a digital forensic examination of the victim’s devices. A statement from investigators contends St. Peter used the online handle “randysaystrade” and that he referenced “764” in his communications with the victim. (…) The ‘764’ network exemplifies these dangers. It systematically targets vulnerable youth, beginning with seemingly harmless interactions, before escalating to coercion, blackmail, and demands for explicit or self-harm content. Parents and guardians must remain proactive in supervising online activity and educating children about these threats.”
via usmagazine: Maryland Man Arrested for Abuse of Idaho Minor Connected to Violent Extremist 764 Sextortion Network