WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT Francisco Javier Ravelo, from South Florida, has been jailed for five years after pleading guilty to distributing hideous videos of monkey torture
A man has been locked up for five years after distributing videos showing the sexual torture and mutilation of baby monkeys.
Francisco Javier Ravelo, 36, of Coral Gables in South Florida, pleaded guilty in March after being charged for the slew of grim crimes, prosecutors said.
“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 passing the Animal Crushing statute, Congress recognised 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.”
Prosecutors said Ravelo made online group chats to distribute more than 40 violent and sexual videos depicting baby and adult monkeys being mutilated and burned.
“This case is deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a former state court trial judge who presided over domestic violence cases, I was trained to recognise lethality factors, warning signs that violence is escalating.
“Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags. It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse.”
According to the Department of Justice, after his release from prison Ravelo will face an additional three years of supervised release, during which he is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with animals.
“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,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans.