CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Clarksville man pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to child sexual abuse material as part of an ongoing joint operation between the FBI and the Department of Justice to eradicate child abuse websites.

Called "Operation Grayskull," the DOJ and the FBI's efforts led to the convictions of 18 offenders, according to a Wednesday press release. Among those offenders is Robert Preston Boyles, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

The press release listed Boyles as one of eight people involved in running the primary site targeted by the operation. Boyle and others allegedly advertised and distributed child sexual abuse material, designed and enforced rules for the website, held staff meetings, recruited staff members, edited and deleted posts to the site and praised individuals for their participation in the site.

“These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong," Acting Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ's Criminal Division, Matthew R. Galeotti, said in the press release. "Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners we have exposed these perpetrators for who they are, eliminated their websites and brought justice to countless victims.”

Boyles was sentenced on August 15, 2023 to 23 years and four months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to his victims.

In all, the DOJ said the operation led to the dismantling of four sites dedicated to images and videos of child sexual abuse and called those sites "some of the most egregious on the dark web," with "sections specifically dedicated to infants and toddlers" and advice on how to avoid detection by law enforcement officers.

“This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks," FBI Director Kash Patel said in the press release. “We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.”

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/clarksville/operation-grayskull/