Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) expressed disgust for a "horrific" animal abuse case on social media, saying the incident is an example of why his Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment (CSAFE) Act needs to become law.
On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement shared a post concerning Amanda Leigh Fourez, an American citizen who pleaded guilty on April 15th to paying others to create "animal crush videos" and distribute them online.
The videos in question involved adult and baby monkeys being subject to torture, genital mutilation, and even being burned alive.
"Amanda Leigh Fourez, a U.S. citizen from Illinois, paid thousands of dollars to have others make sexual torture videos involving adult and baby monkeys for people in deranged online chat groups," ICE's X account posted.
"This horrific crime disgusts me to my core - as I know it does for millions of Americans," Rep. Biggs wrote in response to ICE's post. "That's why I've introduced the Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment (CSAFE) Act to give law enforcement another and stronger tool to go after members of these groups."
Rep. Biggs's CSAFE Act, which passed the House of Representatives in January, strengthens federal penalties for online predators who coerce minors into acts of self-harm, animal abuse, suicide, and other acts of degradation or abuse. Specifically, the minimum sentence for coercing minors into such acts is ten years, which is raised to twenty if serious bodily harm occurs, and finally, if a victim dies, the perpetrator is sentenced to life.
"We can - and we must - do more. It's time for the U.S. Senate to pass this bill," the Arizona congressman affirmed in a social media post.
In October, after a local 13-year-old girl had been abducted after meeting an adult online through the popular online game Roblox, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes secured the necessary funds to fight online child exploitation within Arizona.
