Minnesota Man Guilty in YouTube Animal Cruelty Case

A federal jury has found a Minnesota man guilty of charges involving pay-per-view YouTube channels that featured hundreds of videos depicting animal cruelty.

Federal Jury Reaches Verdict in Animal Crushing Case

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota says the guilty verdict against 33-year-old Bryan Wesley Edison was returned Monday following a federal trial in Minneapolis. The Carver man was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of last year on 16 counts of animal crushing.

Prosecutors Describe Animal Cruelty Videos

The charges contained in the indictment accused Edison of producing videos showing animals being "tortured, drowned, dismembered, disemboweled, attacked and killed." The indictment said Edison operated the YouTube channels for his viewers' "sadistic enjoyment."

Nearly 350 Videos at Center of Federal Case

According to court documents and evidence presented at his trial, Edison was accused of posting nearly 350 videos. The animals included birds, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards, other large reptiles, dogs, and snapping turtles.

"The defendant tried to make a profit and took pleasure in torturing defenseless animals. His actions were inhumane and illegal, and with this guilty verdict, my office is delivering justice," said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.

How the YouTube Channels Made Money

It was alleged that Edison developed logos and merchandise that he offered for sale to customers. The charges stated that Edison set up membership levels that charged subscribers between 99 cents and nearly $100 a month to access the videos.

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A news release says Edison is scheduled to be sentenced in early March. Under federal guidelines, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison for each conviction.

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