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.

Britse vrouw schuldig verklaard aan wereldwijde aapjes martelingen waarbij mensen tegen betaling konden beslissen de soort marteling die ze op internet wilden zien

A British woman, Holly LeGresley, has pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates’ Court to charges of consuming, causing and facilitating the torture of monkeys. She was part of a global monkey torture ring that paid for and ordered baby monkeys to be tortured and killed in Indonesia to create vi deos to be circulated online. She will be sentenced on 7th June.

LeGresley leaving courtroom  foto; The Mirror UK

LeGresley, who called herself ‘The Immolator,’ even ran a poll for group members to vote on the method of torture they wanted to see inflicted upon a monkey for a video to be made, funded by the group. The choices included sealing a monkey inside a jar with red ants, applying a painful substance to the wounds created by a cheese grater or gluing together various parts of a monkey’s body.

This little monkey was tortured and killed

https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-remove-animal-cruelty-from-facebook/  PETITIE

Lady Freethinker, a US-based animal protection organization, and Action for Primates, a UK-based project that advocates globally on behalf of non-human primates, have spent three years investigating the sadistic world of animal torture videos. Our evidence and information have been given to various law enforcement agencies and spurred the BBC investigation and documentary about online monkey torture gangs – “The Monkey Haters” – which helped lead to the inclusion of animal cruelty in the UK Online Safety Act.

Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates commend UK law enforcement for taking on this disturbing subject and welcome the charges brought by West Mercia police force. Any individual involved in facilitating such heinous animal cruelty should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The charges are part of an international effort by law enforcement agencies to tackle those groups and individuals who facilitate the torture of baby monkeys. At least 20 people across the globe are being investigated, and several in the USA and Indonesia have already been convicted and imprisoned.

Members of these torture groups are primarily active on platforms such as Telegram and get ‘pleasure’ from watching helpless and vulnerable infant monkeys – some just a few days old – in terror and pain fighting for their lives. The extreme cruelty inflicted upon the baby monkeys included being set alight; having parts of their body cut off, including limbs, genitals, fingers, and toes; their bones broken with a hammer; their heads squeezed in a clamp; beaten viciously; and having their eyes drilled out with a power tool.

“The horrors being inflicted on innocent, baby monkeys for online videos are sickening, and strong actions must be taken to protect animals from such brutality at the hands of humans,” said Nina Jackel, founder of Lady Freethinker. “Those involved in the creation or distribution of animal torture content for ‘enjoyment’ pose a threat to both animals and humans, and they must be held accountable.”

“Such extreme cruelty and depravity must never be tolerated,” said Sarah Kite, spokesperson for Action for Primates, and who assisted the UK police with their investigation. “Anyone involved in this type of behaviour must be held to account, and others need to know that such behaviour will never be tolerated.’’

Shockingly, there are also monkey torture groups on the world’s top social media platforms, and many of these graphic videos – depicting mutilation, burning, beating and more – have also been posted on Facebook, making them easily available for others, including children, to access and view. By allowing these people to operate and post monkey torture content, social media platforms have enabled and continue to enable animal cruelty fetishists to connect and escalate their cruel activities to extreme and grotesque levels. Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates are calling on social media and video sharing platforms to take immediate action to stop the proliferation of animal torture content that is being posted online.

A second woman – Adriana Orme – chose not to enter a plea at this stage and will appear in court again on 5th June.

By Lady Freethinker | May, 2024   https://ladyfreethinker.org/