Michigan man sentenced to 30 years in prison for role in online child exploitation ring [Video]

DETROIT — A Michigan man who admitted to exploiting a girl was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in federal prison in an investigation of a sinister online community that pressures children into committing acts of self-harm and creating sexual abuse images.

Richard Densmore ran chat rooms as a member of 764, an international group that targets kids online, particularly children with mental health challenges, the U.S. Justice Department said.

“This group seeks to do unspeakable harm to children to advance their goals of destroying civilized society, fomenting civil unrest and ultimately collapsing government institutions,” Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen told reporters.

Densmore, 47, received the maximum sentence from U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou during an appearance in federal court in Lansing.

“It is quite difficult, really, to overstate the depravity …