SAN ANTONIO, Texas
A federal judge has issued a 40-year prison sentence to the online leader of the Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group, along with a lifetime of court-ordered supervision due to charges of child sexual exploitation and extortion. Alexis Aldea Chavez, a 19-year-old from San Antonio, has also been ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Chavez, known online by the names Zack and Zack8884, was at the helm of the “8884” network, which connects with a larger group of violent extremists. These individuals share a similar objective: to foster civil unrest and challenge the established world order.
Members of this group seem intent on dismantling civilized society by exploiting and corrupting vulnerable populations, particularly children. Chavez pleaded guilty after being arrested for coercive actions that involved pressuring victims into committing various violent acts, including self-harm and sexual exploitation.
In a federal complaint, it was noted that in October 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator urged an underage girl to attempt suicide during a video chat, even filming the distressing act to bolster their status within the extremist group.
Chavez, along with the same girl, also pressured a woman outside the U.S. into undressing and harming herself on camera. In another alarming incident, he carved the name “Zack” into a victim’s skin, compelling the individual to inflict self-harm.
In December 2023, Chavez and an accomplice coerced another underage girl during a live video call to cut her tongue and kill a cat. Additionally, they manipulated several young women to set their arms on fire, causing severe burns. One victim reportedly drank his own urine and sought to overdose on an unidentified drug, according to court records.
Chavez was arrested in October 2024, found with child sexual abuse material. Following another arrest in December 2025, he confessed to multiple charges, including extortion and distribution of child pornography, resulting in a severe prison sentence.
“There is nothing more abhorrent than someone who preys on children and other vulnerable members of society, and this defendant will pay a steep price for his actions,” said Colt Markowski, acting deputy director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, reflecting on the case.
