CATLIN, IL – A 33-year-old woman from Illinois pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the production and distribution of “animal crush videos” earlier in April, according to a press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing how a multiagency investigation uncovered the ring responsible for producing videos of monkeys being tortured.
ICE’s press release regarding the entered guilty plea for U.S. citizen Amanda Leigh Fourez followed the announcement shared by the Justice Department earlier in April, noting Fourez pleaded guilty to charges of “distributing and conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos through online chat groups.”
According to officials, Fourez, who entered her guilty plea on April 15th, has been the second individual to plead guilty in connection to an unsettling operation consisting of the production of animal torture videos. The first to have pleaded guilty in connection to the investigation, identified as 36-year-old Francisco Javier Ravelo from Florida, pleaded guilty to a single charge of distributing animal crushing videos.
Some of the content depicted in the illicit videos created and funded in part by Fourez reportedly included “monkeys being tortured, including baby and adult monkeys being burned and their genitals mutilated.”
ICE director Todd Lyons issued a statement following Fourez’s guilty plea, saying, “Fourez admitted to her role in making these horrific videos and posting them online. What kind of sick person would pay someone make a video of sexualized animal torture? ICE will continue investigating these sadistic online groups and do everything in our power to stop them.”
The now-convicted animal abuser is facing up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to seven years for the distribution charge, with fines as high as $500,000 in tandem with any imposed sentence she may receive. The Justice Department noted that a judge will ultimately make the final determination regarding Fourez’s period of incarceration after “considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.”
The legislation federally outlawing the creation and distribution of animal crushing videos came into existence under President Trump’s first term in office, with the president having signed the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act into law in November of 2019.
ICE’s press release regarding the entered guilty plea for U.S. citizen Amanda Leigh Fourez followed the announcement shared by the Justice Department earlier in April, noting Fourez pleaded guilty to charges of “distributing and conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos through online chat groups.”
According to officials, Fourez, who entered her guilty plea on April 15th, has been the second individual to plead guilty in connection to an unsettling operation consisting of the production of animal torture videos. The first to have pleaded guilty in connection to the investigation, identified as 36-year-old Francisco Javier Ravelo from Florida, pleaded guilty to a single charge of distributing animal crushing videos.
Some of the content depicted in the illicit videos created and funded in part by Fourez reportedly included “monkeys being tortured, including baby and adult monkeys being burned and their genitals mutilated.”
ICE director Todd Lyons issued a statement following Fourez’s guilty plea, saying, “Fourez admitted to her role in making these horrific videos and posting them online. What kind of sick person would pay someone make a video of sexualized animal torture? ICE will continue investigating these sadistic online groups and do everything in our power to stop them.”
The now-convicted animal abuser is facing up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to seven years for the distribution charge, with fines as high as $500,000 in tandem with any imposed sentence she may receive. The Justice Department noted that a judge will ultimately make the final determination regarding Fourez’s period of incarceration after “considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.”
The legislation federally outlawing the creation and distribution of animal crushing videos came into existence under President Trump’s first term in office, with the president having signed the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act into law in November of 2019.
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