Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Conspiring to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos Showing Violent Torture of Monkeys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Catlin, Illinois, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos and then distributing those videos through online chat groups, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Amanda Leigh Fourez, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.

According to court documents and statements made in court during the change of plea hearing, Fourez and others conspired to pool their money to commission the creation of animal crush videos-that is, videos that show actual obscene conduct in which living non-human mammals, in this case, monkeys, were purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury-and then distributed those videos to other group members and chat groups via an instant messaging application. Fourez acknowledges sending at least 11 payments to others to commission animal crush videos, and then knowingly distributing animal crush videos on at least 10 occasions. Fourez archived and controlled the distribution of animal crush videos.

Another member of these groups, Joseph Garrett Buckland of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos earlier this month (read the news release regarding Buckland's plea here).

Judge Wiegand scheduled Fourez's sentencing for August 27, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Emily Stone of the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans' Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Fourez.