An Iowa lawyer has been arrested for allegedly making and sharing disturbing videos of him torturing, sexually abusing and killing a monkey.
According to federal prosecutors, Philip Colt Moss, 41, is accused of conspiring with at least two previously indicted men, Nicholas Dryden of Ohio and Giancarlo Morelli of New Jersey, to create the so-called “animal oppression videos.”
According to the indictment, the perpetrators used encrypted messaging apps to pay underage boys in Indonesia to buy monkeys, preferably baby ones, which they then tortured and killed on camera.
Federal prosecutors said the videos “included depictions of the monkey’s genitals being burned, cut with scissors, fucked with a wooden skewer and fucked with a spoon.”
According to the indictment, between February and April of last year, Moss sent Dryden $1,447 for the video and even made plans for the two of them to travel to Indonesia together to make an “Animal Crush” video.
Dryden even offered some nasty freebies, according to the indictment, which quoted a text message saying, “If you don’t have enough bread, I’ll give you a couple for free.”
Moss was arrested Aug. 8 and charged in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati with conspiracy to make and distribute the videos, and faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors. Dryden and Morelli were indicted in June and are awaiting trial.
Moss’s X account has He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and is now an attorney with Wandlo & Associates, where he “represents clients as a litigation attorney.”
But Wandlo & Associates told The Washington Post on Monday that Moss had been fired more than five years ago.
“We are completely shocked and disgusted,” a company representative said, acknowledging they were aware of the allegations against Moss.
Moss too Wrote a few blog posts He claims that he has loved animals since he was a child.
“Colt Moss still has a special affinity and love for animals, especially dogs and horses,” one entry reads.
of The Des Moines Register previously reported Moss pleaded guilty to felony drug charges in 2017 and was given two years’ probation after authorities found marijuana, hashish, painkillers and other drugs during a search of his townhouse.
Moss reportedly took a leave of absence from work and entered an eight-week rehabilitation facility after being arrested on drug charges.
According to Animal Welfare AssociationThe crushing videos typically depict women in high heels or barefoot stomping, trampling and impaling small, helpless animals to satisfy “the bizarre sexual fetishes of sadistic viewers.”
The Anti-Animal Cruelty Video Act of 2010, introduced by former California Assemblyman Elton Gallegory, would have amended federal criminal law to prohibit the making and distributing of animal cruelty videos.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the FBI investigated the incident, authorities said.
