A man from Cincinnati, Ohio, has been sentenced to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release for participating in online groups that created and shared videos of baby and adolescent monkeys being sexually abused, tortured, and mutilated, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nicholas T. Dryden — a central figure in the global monkey torture ring who was charged in 2024 — received the sentence for creating these horrific “animal crush videos” and conspiring to create and distribute them.
Court records show that in 2023 Dryden paid a minor in Indonesia to film the abuse and later sold the footage to numerous people through online groups he administered.
The videos reportedly showed monkeys enduring multiple forms of torture, including the burning and severing of their genitals.
“Today’s sentencing reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and sends a clear warning to anyone who would commit such acts: we will find you, and you will be held accountable,” said Doug Ault, assistant director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement.
Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates first exposed the horrific, underground world of baby monkey torture in 2021 after investigating a private group paying for custom videos online. Evidence gathered through those investigations contributed to the BBC documentary “The Monkey Haters” and has been shared with law enforcement across the globe.
Since that time, numerous individuals involved with these groups have been charged and convicted. The harm inflicted on these monkeys cannot be undone, but continued awareness and public action can help bring an end to the cruelty.
The suffering these defenseless monkeys endured is unimaginable. Lady Freethinker remains committed to uncovering this abuse and pursuing justice for every animal victim by holding those responsible accountable.
