SAN ANTONIO – The FBI is categorizing a new form of violent extremism targeting American youth as “modern-day terrorism,” with a Texas-originated group called “764” at the forefront of this growing threat.
“I want parents and San Antonio to know that no kid is beyond the reach of this,” warned FBI Supervisory Special Agent Post, who is leading a task force investigating these cases.
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The organization, which began in northern Texas following the COVID-19 pandemic, has evolved into an international criminal enterprise.
The group’s name, “764,” derives from the first three digits of the zip code where its 15-year-old founder initiated the movement.
Recent guilty plea highlights threat
In a significant development, Alexis Chavez, 19, pleaded guilty last week in a San Antonio federal court to three felony charges, including distribution and possession of child pornography.
Chavez, who served as an administrator and online leader of a 764 subgroup, began his involvement in 2022 before his arrest in July 2024.
FBI task force combats growing threat
The new threat is being called nihilistic violent extremism, a category of domestic terrorism.
“A group of individuals, mostly online, that believe that our society is so far gone that they want to accelerate its collapse to start over again,” explained FBI Supervisory Special Agent Post. “They often use tactics that involve gore, violence and manipulation.”
The threat has expanded significantly, with ABC News reporting that more than 350 people across the United States are currently under investigation.
The group primarily targets young boys and girls through online gaming platforms.
According to the FBI, the group’s tactics are particularly disturbing.
“They extort them for other crimes, such as animal abuse, abuse of siblings, and self-harm,” an FBI agent said. “And unfortunately, in some cases, we’ve seen kids extorted into committing suicide or attempted suicide.”
Protecting children online
“We are inviting the world into our homes to talk to our kids. And those individuals, we don’t know who they are and some of them are quite frankly, outright evil,” cautioned the FBI agent.
The FBI encourages anyone with information about these activities to submit tips at tips.fbi.gov.
Parents are advised to closely monitor their children’s online activities and be aware of who they’re communicating with through gaming platforms.