4 men face life in federal prison for alleged international child exploitation ring
The US Attorney's Office announced charges against four men accused of participating in an international "neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise" that victimized more than a dozen minors, two of whom were in Southern California.
In its indictment, a federal grand jury charged the following men with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise:
- New Jersey native Collin John Thomas Walker, 23,
- Hawaii native Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41,
- French national Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28
- Texas native Kaleb Christoper Merritt, 24.
Walker and Borge were arrested on Jan. 30 while Rane and Merritt were arrested earlier this month.
"The defendants here are alleged to have committed horrific acts against children," said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. "There is nothing more important than protecting our youth. Our office will continue its effort to aggressively prosecute and incarcerate dangerous predators."
Investigators said that between at least 2019 and 2022 the four men were members of "CVLT," an online group that "espoused neo-Nazism, nihilism and pedophilia as its core principles." The Department of Justice said Rane, Walker and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators for the group by hosting and running online servers. They also allegedly determined the membership of the group.
"Sextortion and other forms of online child sexual abuse have tragically altered the trajectory of too many young lives and this group preyed upon the vulnerable to fulfill their sick and twisted desires," said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. "HSI and our partners will work tirelessly to protect children from victimization in communities across the United States and around the globe."
The Department of Justice believes that CVLT targets vulnerable people, including victims suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse. Investigators would coerce and groom the children to carry out brutal actions against themselves, sometimes in front of a livestream audience.
If the victims refused or hesitated, the group would allegedly threaten to distribute photos of the victims to their family and friends.
Rane was charged in France with similar charges and has been in French custody since 2022. Merrit is already serving a 50-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes in 2020 and 2021.
If convicted, the men face a minimum of 20 years in prison and maximum of life in prison .