Miami-area man sentenced to prison for distributing "animal crush" videos of baby monkeys
A Miami-area man will spend up to five years in prison after the Department of Justice said he pleaded guilty to sharing videos that showed the sexual torture and mutilation of baby monkeys.
The DOJ's press release said 36-year-old Francisco Javier Ravelo of Coral Gables was sentenced on Wednesday. After his release from prison, he will face an additional three years of supervised release, during which he is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with animals.
Prosecutors said Ravelo pleaded guilty in March and was involved in online groups that shared videos showing acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys, all in violation of the federal Animal Crushing statute. Ravelo reportedly owned and administered several groups that did this, controlling access to the invitation-only groups as a leader and organizer. Prosecutors said the court described the material as "evil" and crafted Ravelo's sentence to show that "in society we will not tolerate this kind of material being distributed in any way, shape, or form".
"The production and distribution of obscene animal crush videos is a felony," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in a statement. "In passing the Animal Crushing statute, Congress recognized that cruelty to animals desensitizes participants to the suffering of human beings. This sentence is a warning to all future would-be creators and consumers of animal crushing that they risk federal prosecution and imprisonment for these crimes."
"Ravelo's conviction and this sentencing make it clear that those who commit these horrific crimes cannot evade justice," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. "Even when offenders use advanced technology and exclusive, invitation-only groups to hide their illegal activities, HSI will relentlessly pursue them and ensure they are held accountable. Our team worked tirelessly to stop Ravelo's egregious crimes and prevent further harm, and we remain committed to bringing others who commit these offenses to justice."