Oregon man charged with enabling 'sexually-sadistic' torture, murder of monkeys

PRINEVILLE, Ore. — A Prineville man has been indicted in multiple animal abuse-related charges after allegedly enabling the torture of monkeys and distributing videos of the mutilation to an online group community, says the Oregon U.S. Attorney;s Office.

On June 14, 2023, a federal indictment was unsealed charging David Christopher Noble, 48, with conspiring to engage in "animal crushing" and creating and distributing "animal crush videos," creating animal crush videos, and illegally possessing a firearm as a dishonorably discharged person.

Per a Utah court case on the subject, animal crush videos are photographs, videos, and/or recordings of "...Conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury, and is obscene," for the entertainment or sexual gratification of viewers.

Creating animal crush videos is punishable by up to seven years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, from a date no later than January 19, 2022, and continuing until February 2, 2023, Noble intentionally conspired with others to view, encourage, and fund animal crush videos as part of an online group using an encrypted chat app.

Noble, a group administrator, is reported to have paid for the creation of and "celebrated" videos depicting the torture, sexually-sadistic mutilation, and murder of adult and juvenile monkeys.

The documents state that Noble managed the group’s membership and repeatedly changed the group’s name to evade detection by law enforcement.

In 2006, Noble was dismissed from the Air Force for fraud and an "unprofessional relationship." Noble is alleged to have possessed multiple firearms, including a Colt M4 carbine assault rifle, after his discharged, which is illegal.

In January 2023, Noble relocated from Prineville to Henderson, Nevada. On June 13, 2023, he was arrested in Henderson. On June 14, 2023, Noble made his first appearance in federal court in Las Vegas before being transferred to the District of Oregon.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.