Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Creating and Distributing Videos Depicting Animal Torture and Mutilation
Tuesday, December 16, 2025 - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against animals.
Robert Berndt, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on May 6 to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.”
According to court documents, Berndt conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio made the 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.
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
Source: Justice.gov
