A man named Ronald Bedra from Etna, Ohio has pleaded guilty for his role in creating and distributing sickening videos of baby monkeys being brutally tortured.
Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates first uncovered the underground group set up by him and others, called “Million Tears,” in 2021, and turned evidence over to the authorities including videos and screenshots of chats from him and other group members. We applaud the action by law enforcement to investigate and prosecute this case.
Members of Million Tears paid for their “own private monkey” to be filmed while being tortured through their chosen method, or several members made smaller contributions towards a fee for their “share” of a “community monkey,” which allowed group members to put in requests for depraved acts of cruelty and torture to be inflicted and decide how the monkey was to be killed.
Bedra, 42, went by the username “DemonSwordSoulCrusher,” and funded the creation of videos showing monkeys being brutally tortured, mutilated, and sexually abused.
The videos in this case depict innocent, defenseless animals “having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver,” as detailed by the U.S. Department of Justice. Both adult and baby monkeys were the victims of these unthinkable acts.
In one instance, Bedra mailed a thumb drive of over 60 videos of monkeys being tortured, according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio.
This is only the latest in a string of recent monkey torture prosecutions, including cases in the US and the UK.
We welcome prosecution of anyone involved in funding, promoting, or conducting animal torture.
