Four men from Sydney have been charged with serious criminal offences following a police investigation into an international network distributing child sexual abuse material.
Ritualistic and Satanic Themes in 'Devastating' Abuse
Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty of the New South Wales Police Force stated that a specialist task force uncovered the Sydney-based cell while probing the online spread of encrypted abuse content. She emphasised the particularly abhorrent nature of the material, which involved ritualistic and satanic themes in discussions about harming children.
"There's no run-of-the mill child abuse, it's all abhorrent," Doherty told reporters. "But these ones were particularly devastating in that they use symbols and rituals around … their discussions that they were having about abusing children."
Arrests and Seizure of Thousands of Videos
Police executed multiple search warrants across Sydney last Thursday, leading to the arrest of the four suspects. During the raids, officers seized electronic devices allegedly containing thousands of videos depicting the sexual abuse and torture of children, with victims ranging from babies to 12-year-olds.
"Police will allege in court that this international group were engaging in conversations and the sharing of material which depicted child abuse and the torture of children involving symbols and rituals linked to Satanism and the occult," Superintendent Doherty explained.
Suspects Identified and Charges Laid
The police identified Landon Germanotta-Mills, 26, as playing a leading role in the alleged ring. The other men charged are Stuart Woods Riches, 39, Mark Andrew Sendecky, 42, and Benjamin Raymond Drysdale, 46.
All four face charges relating to spreading child abuse material online. Germanotta-Mills faces additional charges for disseminating and possessing bestiality material. Police confirmed they do not believe the Sydney men recorded the abuse material themselves but were involved in its distribution.
Authorities are working with international partners to identify the victims and their abusers, though no victims had been identified by Monday, 1 December 2025. All four accused were refused bail and are scheduled to appear in court again in late January.
Legal Aid NSW, representing Germanotta-Mills, declined to comment. A lawyer for the other three defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
