PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Mount Pleasant man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to a charge of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos.

According to a statement from United States Attorney Troy Rivetti, Joseph Buckland, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to commission the creation of animal crush videos, depicting monkeys being purposefully crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.

Buckland admitted to sending money on more than 15 occasions to commission animal crush videos, as well as distributing those videos to other group members and chat groups via an instant messaging application

“Producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime,” said Rivetti. “Intentionally inflicting harm and torture on innocent animals not only feeds a broader market of criminal depravity, it also often is linked to, or leads to, additional dangers and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute all crimes involving violations of federal law relating to horrific acts of cruelty to animals.”

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for Oct. 29. The law provides for a total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

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Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Emily Stone of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Buckland.

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