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The Matassini Law Firm, P.A. Your trusted legal advisors since 1976

Veterinarian Faces Child Pornography/Bestiality Charges

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A Florida veterinarian is facing extremely disturbing charges after police received a cyber-tip. Police found images of child pornography and images of the veterinarian having sex with a dog. He is further accused of “animal crushing”, which is a type of fetish found on the internet, generally associated with dominatrixes.

The vet worked at the Caring Hands Animal Hospital. After the charges became public, his name no longer appears in the clinic. Folks who brought their animals to the hospital believed that the vet was among the kindest and gentlest people they’d ever met.

What is Animal Crushing? 

Most God-fearing people wouldn’t know anything about this, but there is a sub-fetish in the category of dominatrix fetishism where a dominatrix uses extremely lavish boots to crush mice underneath her feet. How this fetish developed or why it exists is not something anyone can say with certainty. Even among fetlife people, the fetish is considered taboo because it involves the abuse of animals. It is also illegal. Now, thanks to laws passed by the last President, animal cruelty charges can be filed at the federal level.

Why are So Many Child Pornography Charges Filed by the Federal Government? 

The federal government is better at handling multi-district litigation than local governments. Often in situations like these, it’s the feds who are snooping the usual pipelines for child pornography and other illegal forms of pornography. This often involves the distribution of illegal pornography over the dark web, private chat groups, or other means. The feds then trace individuals involved with the trade of child pornography to a specific recipient, or they act on a tip.

The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act 

The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act is exactly what it sounds like. It makes possession of videos depicting animal crushing illegal. Originally, the law only made the possession and distribution of the video illegal. However, the performers who tortured and abused animals for sexual gratification had not broken any specific federal law. The PACT Act extends the criminal statutes to make the performance of animal crush videos illegal.

Because federal authorities could only prosecute the distribution of these videos as opposed to the production of the videos or the acts depicted in the videos, it became hard for the feds to file a full prosecution against those who broke the law. Instead, the feds would work with local authorities to file charges under state law. But this was quite cumbersome. The PACT Act allows the federal government to prosecute every element of the crime. For those who love animals, this type of legislation is better news than a bucket of fresh bananas at a monkey exhibit.

Talk to a Florida Federal Defense Attorney 

If you’ve been charged by federal authorities under federal law, then you need a Tampa criminal attorney who is skilled in handling federal prosecutions. Call The Matassini Law Firm today to schedule a discussion of your situation and allow us to strategize your defense.

Resources:

miami.cbslocal.com/2021/03/17/south-florida-veterinarian-faces-federal-charges-of-abusing-animal-and-child-pornography/

aspca.org/news/historic-federal-animal-cruelty-protection-signed-law#:~:text=The%20Animal%20Crush%20Video%20Prohibition,sick%20gratification%20of%20the%20viewer.

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