The U.S. Department of Justice says it took down child abuse websites that had more than 120,000 members and contained millions of files. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane explains how the arrest of one suspect nicknamed "Boss" was a huge priority for the FBI.

Washington

The U.S. Department of Justice has shut down four dark web websites that were distributing child abuse images, as part of an operation named Operation Gray Skull. The sites, which were difficult to access and discover, had over 120,000 members and millions of files, with one site reportedly receiving 100,000 visitors in a single day.

William Michael Spearman, a former Army member from Alabama, was among 18 people convicted for their roles in operating these sites. The operation, which involved high-level FBI oversight and tactical intervention, is being described by officials as one of the most successful actions against online child exploitation in the department's history.

U.S. Justice Dept. shuts down four child abuse websites

William Michael Spearman of Alabama's case was so important that then-FBI Director Christopher Wray signed off on the search warrant himself and they used some tactical devices to get through the door to safely apprehend Spearman. And according to court filings, there was quite a tussle and Spearman's three handguns were just out of reach. And what makes this case so important? Spearman's a former Army member from Alabama, but recently he went by the name Boss. Not boss of a military unit, but boss of a dark web website devoted to child abuse images, child sex abuse images. One of four dark web websites taken down by the US Department of Justice as part of an operation they call Operation Gray Skull, something they've announced in just the past few days. And Spearman is one of 18 people convicted for roles in operating these dark web sites. But it's the numbers that are staggering in this case. The numbers, when we saw them, we had to look two or three times to make sure we wrote them down correctly. In fact, we did. The four dark web sites with child abuse images drew 120,000 members plus. These are dark web sites, difficult to access, difficult to find out about, and they have child abuse images. And they drew 120,000 plus members, millions of files. And on one day, one site had 100,000 views, visitors, one day. The case of William Michael Spearman ended up in a conviction and a lengthy prison term. Same is true for others with whom he's connected, connected to this case. But the Department of Justice's argument here is that, yes, this is one of the most successful operations in the history of the Department of Justice on this issue. But also, one FBI or one Department of Justice official told me it even stunned prosecutors just how much traffic these sites draw.

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