An Illinois woman appeared in a federal courtroom in Pennsylvania this week to admit her involvement in a disturbing conspiracy that involved paying for and sharing videos of animal torture.
Amanda Leigh Fourez, 33, of Catlin, Illinois, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy before U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand, marking a significant break in a federal investigation into online “crush” video groups.
The case centers on a coordinated effort where members of private chat groups pooled their money to commission graphic videos. According to federal prosecutors and court records, these videos depicted the torture of monkeys, including acts of burning, drowning, and impaling the animals.
United States Attorney Troy Rivetti’s office stated that Fourez was not just a viewer, but a key participant who sent at least 11 payments to fund the creation of the footage.
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She also admitted to distributing the videos on 10 separate occasions and acting as an archivist who controlled how the content was shared across instant messaging apps.
Fourez is the second person in this specific ring to face the music in court.
Earlier this month, Joseph Garrett Buckland of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea to his role in the same conspiracy. The investigation that brought these activities to light was a joint effort between the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations’ Cyber and Human Exploitation unit.
While the details of the crimes are grim, the legal consequences are now becoming clear. Fourez is facing a maximum of seven years in federal prison and a fine that could reach $500,000.
Her final sentence, which Judge Wiegand has scheduled for August 27, 2026, will be determined by federal guidelines that weigh the severity of the animal cruelty and her past criminal record.
For now, the prosecution remains in the hands of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
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