Prineville man pleads guilty to distributing 'animal crush' videos, murder of monkeys
A U.S. District Court in Eugene says a 48-year-old Prineville man faces a sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his role in a conspiracy to produce and distribute videos showing the torture, mutilation, and murder of monkeys.
David Noble, 48, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to engage in animal crushing and creating and distributing animal crush videos.
Court documents describe that Noble conspired with others to send multiple online payments to co-conspirators overseas to fund the production of "animal crush" videos, which began no later than Jan. 19, 2022, and continued until Feb. 2, 2023.
According to the Animal Welfare Institute, animal-crushing videos typically depict individuals viciously torturing, mutilating, and killing small animals for pleasure.
The court alleges that Noble also administered an online group where members could raise funds to produce, discuss ideas for, and share animal abuse videos.
Noble, a former United States Air Force Officer, was dismissed from the Air Force in 2006 and ordered to serve six months in military custody following a court martial for fraud and engaging in an unprofessional relationship.
In Feb. 2023, following an investigation into the case, officials executed a search warrant on Noble's home, where they found approximately 50 videos depicting animal abuse, along with several firearms and ammunition.
A federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment on May 18, 2023, charging Noble with conspiring to engage in animal crushing by creating and distributing animal crush videos and illegally possessing a firearm as a dishonorably discharged person.
After his home was searched, Noble moved from Prineville to Henderson, Nevada, where he was arrested on June 13, 2023. Following his arrest, Noble made his first appearance in federal court in Las Vegas, where he was ordered detained pending his transfer to Oregon.
Noble arrived in Oregon on July 21, 2023, and was ordered detained based on the violent nature of his offenses and his possession of firearms. He will be sentenced on April 24, 2024, facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Prineville man pleads guilty in monkey animal abuse case
