The probe has targeted at least 20 individuals in the United States and two in Indonesia, including an Oregon man who was recently indicted.
A worldwide network accused of producing and disseminating videos depicting the torture and killing of monkeys has been unveiled by a BBC World Service investigation
The investigation revealed numerous customers across the U.S. and other countries had joined social media groups specifically created to share this distressing content. Shockingly, these individuals were not only paying to witness the torture of long-tailed macaques but also making specific requests for various forms of abuse.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon released a statement disclosing the arrest of David Christopher Noble, a 48-year-old Oregon resident, on June 13. Two days later, he was charged with conspiring with others to view, encourage, and financially support animal crush videos through an online group that utilized an encrypted chat application.
Noble, who served as a group administrator, was responsible for funding the production and celebration of videos depicting the torture, sexual sadistic mutilation, and murder of adult and juvenile monkeys
Additionally, he managed the group’s membership and frequently changed its name to avoid detection by law enforcement authorities. Alongside Noble, three other individuals are suspected of involvement in the network: Mike McCartney, known as “The Torture King”; Stacey Storey, also recognized as “Sadistic”; and an individual known as “Mr. Ape.” While charges have not yet been filed against the latter three, Special Agent Paul Wolpert of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security believes they played pivotal roles as ringleaders and anticipates their eventual prosecution. If convicted of distributing animal torture content, they could face up to seven years in prison.
The monkey torture community initially emerged on YouTube before spreading to dark web forums and the encrypted messaging app Telegram, where private torture groups flourished with hundreds of members. One group called the “Ape’s Cage,” amassed nearly 400 individuals, primarily from the U.S., the U.K., and Australia.
READ ALSO: On Juneteenth Weekend, Shootings Result In A Minimum Of 12 Casualties