Licking County man pleads guilty to conspiracy crime involving videos of monkey torture & mutilation

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A plea agreement was unsealed today in which a Licking County man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute “animal crush” videos.

According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver.

The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

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