A federal case out of Illinois has drawn attention after a woman admitted to paying for and distributing disturbing online content involving animals.
According to Fox News, Amanda Leigh Fourez pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges tied to the creation and distribution of so-called “animal crush videos.”
Officials said the videos were commissioned through online networks and later shared with others in private groups.
Prosecutors allege Fourez spent thousands of dollars to have the material produced and then helped circulate it online.
“Fourez paid thousands of dollars to commission bespoke sexual torture videos of monkeys and later she distributed the obscene crush videos over the Internet. Fourez archived and controlled the distribution of animal crush videos,” the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
Authorities said Fourez participated in multiple chat groups focused on producing and sharing this type of illegal content. Those groups also reportedly coordinated payments and discussed the videos among members.
Another individual tied to the same network, Joseph Garrett Buckland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create and distribute similar material. He had been charged earlier this year under federal laws prohibiting such conduct.
Congress first moved to ban these types of videos in 2010, criminalizing depictions of extreme animal cruelty created for fetish purposes. The law was later expanded in 2019 to outlaw the acts themselves, strengthening enforcement against both creators and distributors.
The investigation into Fourez was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Fourez admitted to her role in making these horrific videos and posting them online,” said ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “What kind of sick person would pay someone to make a video of sexualized animal torture? ICE will continue investigating these sadistic online groups and do everything in our power to stop them.”
Fourez now faces significant prison time. Prosecutors say the conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years, while the distribution charge could add up to seven years, along with a potential fine reaching $500,000.
A judge will ultimately determine her sentence following a review of federal guidelines and other factors.
