VA Man Created, Sold Videos Depicting Monkey Torture And Mutilation

CHESAPEAKE, VA — A Virginia man pleaded guilty to federal charges this week after prosecutors said he created, distributed and stored thousands of videos depicting the torture and sexually sadistic mutilation of animals.

Michael Macartney, 51, of Chesapeake, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos, U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber said in a release.

The term "animal crushing" is defined as conduct in which an animal is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.

According to prosecutors, Macartney and his co-conspirators created a private online chat group and joined others to view and distribute animal crushing videos. Prosecutors said Macartney sought out and promoted videos depicting the torture, murder and mutilation of juvenile and adult monkeys.

Prosecutors said Macartney received more than 300 payments related to these activities and also raised money to pay a videographer to create a video of a juvenile monkey being tortured with a jar of ants, leading to the monkey’s death.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Macartney agreed to sell copies of all his animal crush videos to a co-conspirator for $100. The co-conspirator paid Macartney $75 and Macartney sent them website links where his videos were stored.

At the time of the sale, Macartney said there were just under 2,300 videos stored, according to prosecutors. Five months later, Macartney possessed at least 500 videos depicting animal crushing, court documents said.

Macartney is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4. He faces a maximum of five years in prison.