Local man pleads guilty to paying people in Indonesia to make animal torture videos

A local man pleaded guilty to paying people in Indonesia to make animal torture videos.

The Department of Justice said Joseph Garrett Buckland, 44, of Mt. Pleasant, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday.

Investigators said Buckland was part of a group of three other people who pooled their money together to pay for videos of people crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or otherwise seriously injuring monkeys. The other suspects are not from Pennsylvania.

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“Today’s plea should serve as a warning: animal crush videos are illegal and we will prosecute individuals engaged in this sadistic behavior,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Investigating and prosecuting cases like this is not easy, and we commend all who worked to bring this perpetrator to justice.”

Buckland admitted to paying for these videos on 15 different occasions. The videos were distributed in group chats on instant messaging services, prosecutors said.

“Buckland’s decisions, actions, and financial investments directly contributed to the brutal torture of defenseless animals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “Thanks to the diligent investigative efforts of our special agents, in collaboration with the FBI, he has now admitted his role and will face justice in federal court. HSI will continue to investigate these heinous crimes and work with our law enforcement partners, domestically and abroad, to identify, pursue, and hold offenders accountable.”

United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said stopping this crime could help prevent violence against humans in the future.

“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 dangerous and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety,” Rivetti said. “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.”

Buckland is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 29. He faces up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

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