Houston couple accused of torturing animals for sexual fetish videos

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A Houston couple, accused of torturing animals to make crush videos for sexual fetishists, has been arrested.  Ashley Nichole Richards, 21, and Brent Wayne Justice, 51, are facing up to two years in prison for animal cruelty. The couple allegedly produced and sold videos of Richards torturing animals to fulfill requests from costumers who find sexual gratification in watching animals tortured, sometimes crushed.

According to KVUE News, the details of the case are so graphic a judge stopped the allegations from being read at one point in the probable cause hearing. Richards is accused of using kitchen knives and a meat clever to torture a pit-bull puppy in one video and stomping on a cat with high heels on in another.

The couple was brought to the attention of PETA by a concerned citizen who came across the videos showing puppies, kittens, rabbits, mice and other animals being tortured and killed.

PETA was able to determine that the videos were produced in Houston, and two days after notifying authorities, Richards and Justice were arrested, reports PETA spokeswoman Shakira Croce.

Although the crime is a state jail felony and the maximum punishment is 2 years in state prison, if the U.S. Attorney pursues this case involving crush videos, the suspects could face up to 7 years in prison.

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.