EUGENE, OR -- A 48-year-old Central Oregon man was sentenced to four years in federal prison Wednesday, for his role in a conspiracy to produce animal crush videos. David Noble, of Prineville, was arrested last year after federal prosecutors say he was caught sending payments to overseas co-conspirators to fund the production of videos showing the mutilation and torture of monkeys. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Eugene last May and pleaded guilty in January.

Noble was charged in federal court because his actions crossed outside of Oregon. At the time he was arrested, Noble hadn't violated any state laws. The case prompted the legislature to pass a law in the 2024 session making it illegal in Oregon to create photos or videos of animal abuse.