Coral Gables Man Sentenced to Five-Year Term for Baby Monkey Abuse Case
A 36‑year‑old man from Coral Gables, Florida, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for distributing graphic videos of animal abuse. The defendant, Javier Ravelo, had pleaded guilty in March to violations of the federal Animal Crushing statute. Prosecutors said he operated several invitation‑only online chat groups that shared videos of monkeys being mutilated and tortured. Ravelo was described as a leader and organizer who controlled access to the groups.
During sentencing on Thursday, a judge imposed a 60‑month prison term followed by three years of supervised release. The order prohibits Ravelo from having unsupervised contact with animals while he serves his sentence.
The court highlighted that the material was “evil” and stated that society will not tolerate its distribution. A statement from the Department of Justice reaffirmed that the production and distribution of obscene animal crush videos constitutes a felony.
Ravelo’s arrest record indicates he used the Telegram username “Tony Montana.” He was a University of Miami graduate and former Air Force contractor who had been released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.