Woman calling herself 'Sadistic Queen' given 3 years jail sentence for sealing baby monkeys in closed jars filled with red ants, monkey torture videos and sadistic mutilation

 16 July 2025: Woman calling herself "Sadistic Queen" given jail sentence in US baby monkey torture case

Infant long-tailed macaque, in captivity, Indonesia
Animal Friends Jogja/Action for Primates

Action for Primates and Lady Freethinker applaud the jail sentence handed down to a US woman convicted of Conspiracy to Create and Distribute Animal Crushing Videos. Stacey Storey, of Alabama, has received a three-year prison sentence and three years supervised release, in the US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to create and distribute 'animal crush' videos.

Storey, who called herself "Sadistic Queen" and "Sadistic Mind", was a member of an online monkey torture group that facilitated the torture, murder and sexually sadistic mutilation of baby long-tailed macaques in Indonesia. She sent payments and instructions on how to torture the monkeys and then distributed the videos within the group. In June 2022, with the words Enjoy this one ladies and gents, Storey circulated a horrifying video depicting the brutal torture and killing of a baby monkey who was sealed inside a jar of red ants before being sodomised with an object.

In June 2023, law enforcement seized Storey's electronic devices, which contained over 675 videos and 11,000 images depicting animal crushing. Three of her co-conspirators in the US have also received jail sentences: Michael Macartney, who used the name "Torture King", was jailed for three years and six months; Jeffrey Radtke received a 21-month prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised probation, and Drexel Venero, who used the name "Mr Ape", was given an 18 month prison sentence with three years supervised release.

Action for Primates and Lady Freethinker first exposed the sadistic world of online monkey torture groups in 2021, and since then have continued to investigate as various other groups sprung up dedicated to the torture, mutilation and killing of infant monkeys. We are extremely grateful to US law enforcement agencies for tracking down and prosecuting these depraved and perverted individuals responsible for the most unimaginable pain and terror inflicted upon baby monkeys.

This sentence is the latest in a global spike in arrests and charges for crimes in which sadistic individuals purchase torture videos from "filmmakers" in Indonesia through encrypted chats on Telegram, using cryptocurrency and other online payment methods. The videos have often been re-posted on major social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube.

Creating and distributing 'animal crush' videos is a federal crime in the US, punishable by up to seven years in prison under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT Act).

Nina Jackel, founder, Lady Freethinker, stated: Such brutal and horrific crimes against monkeys or any other animal must not be tolerated. The torture inflicted on young macaques for these videos is more disturbing than any other abuse I've come across in more than a decade of animal advocacy work. I'm grateful to law enforcement for their diligence in investigating these unthinkable acts and seeking justice.

Sarah Kite, co-founder, Action for Primates, stated: We welcome the prison sentence given to Stacey Storey for her involvement in facilitating the violent, sadistic torture and killing of baby monkeys. We are extremely grateful to US law enforcement for tracking down and prosecuting these depraved individuals. These people need to know that there are legal consequences to their vile activities. We fervently hope this prosecution and punishment will act as an important deterrent to others.