Minnesota Man Indicted on Federal Charges for Alleged Animal Torture Videos on YouTube

(KNSI) – A 32-year-old Minnesota man faces federal charges for allegedly creating and distributing hundreds of videos depicting animal torture and killing through pay-per-view YouTube channels.

According to an indictment, Bryan Wesley Edison was indicted on 16 counts of animal crushing and made his initial court appearance following the announcement. The charges fall under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT Act), which expanded federal animal cruelty laws in 2019. The act makes it unlawful to purposely engage in animal “crushing,” defined as crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or otherwise causing serious bodily injury to living mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians.

The charges stem from alleged activities dating back to 2022. The Carver man allegedly posted nearly 350 videos showing animals, including birds, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards, dogs, and snapping turtles, being subjected to prolonged torture. The alleged methods included impalement, crushing, drowning, suffocating, and dismemberment.

Prosecutors allege Edison would place live animals in artificial enclosures such as playpens, bathtubs, and showers, sometimes costuming the animals or creating “scenarios” for the alleged torture. He allegedly narrated many of the videos with commentary describing the animals’ suffering.

The operation allegedly included a tiered subscription model with membership levels ranging from $0.99 to $99.99 per month, with the highest tier providing access to custom-commissioned content. Edison’s channels, including “Prince’s Pet Planet” and “Prince’s Chomp Squad,” were eventually removed by YouTube for policy violations.

___