TOLEDO, OH (WLIO) - A Celina man received prison time for a multitude of charges, including possessing child pornography and creating "animal crush" videos.
27-year-old Lucas Vanwoert was sentenced to 97 months, or more than 8 years, in prison by a U.S. district judge and also received 15 years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender and cannot own a pet in the future.
Vanwoert was arrested in 2022 after creating an "animal crush" video, which depicts an animal being intentionally crushed, burned, or otherwise subjected to bodily injury.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Vanwoert's residence in Celina and seized several electronic devices that were later found to contain videos of child pornography, which involved young children, as well as animal crush videos. Three emaciated dogs were also removed from the property.
May 30, 2024, Press Release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio: TOLEDO - Lucas Russell Vanwoert, 27, of Celina, Ohio, was sentenced to 97 months (more than eight years) in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, II for possession and transportation of child pornography, transportation of obscene materials and creating an animal crush video. Vanwoert was additionally ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release, required to register as a sex offender, and is prohibited from owning or possessing a pet in the future.
Vanwoert created an animal crush video in 2022 with intent to distribute according to court documents. An animal crush video is defined as any photograph, motion picture, film, video or digital recording, or electronic image that depicts actual conduct in which one or more living nonhuman mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury, or bestiality and is obscene.
Authorities seized three severely emaciated dogs that Vanwoert was abusing, and one recently deceased dog in the backyard of the residence. Authorities also seized several electronic devices that were found to contain videos of child pornography, which involved prepubescent children, as well as animal crush videos, as part of an executed search warrant at Vanwoert’s residence in Celina. At least one of Vanwoert’s dogs was used to create the animal crush videos.
Homeland Security Investigations Agent Jason Guyton was the lead investigator. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Michelle M. Baeppler.
