(NewsNation) — An Ohio man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos of “extreme violence and sexual abuse” against monkeys, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.
Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio, conspired with others to create and issue videos depicting “acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys,” according to a DOJ news release.
The acts of violence include sexual and physical abuse, such as severing the animals’ limbs.
Bedra and others — whose names the DOJ did not include in its release Tuesday — used encrypted chat apps to funnel money to people in Indonesia who were willing to carry out the torture on camera.
He also mailed a USB drive of 64 such videos to another person in Wisconsin, according to the release.
Monday’s announcement is part of a formerly sealed April plea agreement. A sentencing hearing is not yet scheduled.