A 54-year-old Houston man has been convicted of creating and distributing videos of puppies, chickens and kittens being tortured and killed.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake found Brent Justice guilty Monday of three counts of producing and one count of distributing what's known as "animal crush videos."
Prosecutors say a co-defendant, 25-year-old Ashley Nicole Richards, pleaded guilty to similar state charges in September. She received a 10-year prison term.
The U.S. attorney's office in Houston says court records show Richards was scantily dressed in the torture videos and "engaged in sexually charged dialogue meant to arouse the viewer."
Prosecutors say Justice was the cameraman. Richards testified Monday he marketed and distributed the videos.
Justice faces seven years in prison on each count and up to $250,000 in fines.
