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SALT LAKE CITY — A Farmington man who pleaded guilty to animal torture by crushing guinea pigs on video was sent to federal prison on Monday after posting the videos of the cruelty on YouTube.
Samuel Jonas Webster, 20, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, and three years of supervision Monday by U.S. District Judge David Sam.
"The animal torture committed by Mr. Webster was not only illegal but inhumane and cruel," said Trina Higgins, U.S. attorney for the District of Utah, in a statement.
Shohini Sinha, special agent in charge at the FBI office in Salt Lake City, said animals deserve to be treated humanely.
"Evidence shows that intentional animal cruelty can also be a precursor to other violent crimes. We are grateful for the public's assistance reporting this horrific abuse so law enforcement could put a stop to it," she said.
Webster pleaded guilty to the crimes in August, and said he purchased a male guinea pig in Farmington and purposefully injured the animal.
Charging documents indicate he uploaded 18 videos to YouTube in October 2021 showing him breaking guinea pigs' bones, cutting them with knives and other graphic forms of torture. The videos featured names like "Guinea Pig Torture," "Ripped a piece of her ear" and "Torture is addicting."
Comments on the videos were also disturbing. Charging documents say Webster posted things like, "Killing and torture is my favorite activity" and "Torture is like a drug to me, it's very addicting. Hearing the scream of pain is so satisfying."
The videos have since been taken down.
Charges were first filed in state court, but were dismissed in June 2022 after he was indicted in federal court for charges related to the same crimes.
