TORA

2019-07-28T18:39:52Z

2606:6000:C085:E700:950D:5E66:C875:90B4: Added case number to footnote 7, as cases can only be searched by case number, not by name

[[File:Califur 2008 Growly.JPG|right|thumb|Growly at [[Califur 4]]]]
'''TORA''', also known as '''Almightytora''' and '''Growly''' (real name '''Daniel Llamas'''; Born 2 June 1976), is a [[fursuiter]] who lives in [[W:Van Nuys, California|Van Nuys, California]], USA<ref>[https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/Search.aspx?l=Llamas&f=Daniel&a=&r=# Daniel Llamas on the California Megan's Law Website]. Retrieved January 16, 2018</ref>.


== Fandom involvement ==

TORA has been a [[furry fan]] since 1999.

=== Fursona ===

TORA's [[fursuit]] character is '''Growly''', a [[dog]] based on the [[Pokémon]] "[[W:Growlithe|Growlithe]]".<ref>[http://db.fursuit.org/?c=viewsuit&id=1068 Growly] on [[the Fursuit Database]]. Retrieved August 27, 2008</ref> The costume was built by [[Fallimar]] and debuted at [[Further Confusion 2008]], where he appeared in an act in the [[masquerade]]. Since then, Growly has been seen in many convention pictures sporting his trademark peace sign.

Growly wears fully functional glasses, as he is near-sighted in [[real life]]. He sometimes wears one of two jerseys with the number 58 on it, which is Growlithe's [[Wikipedia:Gameplay of Pokémon#Pokédex|Pokédex]] number in the older versions of the game.

=== Convention attendance ===

* [[Antheria]] - 2010, 2011
* [[Anthrocon]] - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
* [[Biggest Little Fur Con]] - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* [[Califur]] - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
* [[Elliott's Spring Gathering]] - 2014, 2016
* [[Further Confusion]] - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
* [[Furry Connection North]] - 2013
* [[Furry Weekend Atlanta]] - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* [[Midwest FurFest]] - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
* [[Motor City Furry Con]] - 2014, 2015, 2016
* [[Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend]] - 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
* [[RainFurrest]] - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
* [[Rocky Mountain Fur Con]] - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
* [[Furry Fiesta|Texas Furry Fiesta]] - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

== Character/naming confusion ==

[[File:Growly7347.jpg|right|thumb|Growly at [[Further Confusion 2009]], flashing his peace sign]]
* '''Growly the Tiger''' - One misconception is that Growly is a [[tiger]], as he has stripes on his arms and his jerseys both depict tigers and the name on the back of the jersey says TORA (which means "tiger" in Japanese).

:When Penh introduced Growly at the [[Critterlympics]] at [[Further Confusion 2009]] as part of the Rawhide Chews (the dog team), some people were confused. One even said, "That's not a dog!" to which Penh replied, "He's a... he's an honorary dog." <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENV9RD5soME Further Confusion 2009 - Day 4 (Critterlympics Unleashed) Part 1] (2:36 - 2:51)</ref>

* '''Growly the Bear''' - Growly has been confused with the fursuit maker known as Growly Lobita many times at conventions and at furry get-togethers.

* '''Growly Genet''' - Growly has been mistaken for another artist, Growly Genet (now known as [[Salmagundi]]), but not as often. All three Growlys were at Furry Weekend Atlanta 2010.

* '''Tora NightProwler''' - Growly is often mistaken for [[Tora NightProwler]], and vice versa. Growly and Tora NightProwler were at [[Anthrocon 2009]] and [[Midwest FurFest 2009]], and people were still getting confused to see TORA with Tora.

== Controversy ==
[[File:TORA-17-year-old-boy.jpg|right|thumb|One of six screenshots of the interaction between TORA and the 17 year-old (suggestive dialogue)]]
In 2000, TORA and his now ex-partner were contacted by a 14 year old teenage boy. According to TORA,<ref>[[User:Almightytora/Statement|Statement by TORA regarding his arrest and conviction]] (24 September 2009)</ref> he sent a nude image of himself to the teen, who solicited TORA for sex but was turned down multiple times due to his age. However, in March 2001, TORA's older partner convinced him that they should meet up with the teen at a hotel.

TORA said that while he "refused to do anything," he made the mistake of sleeping in the same room, while his partner had sex with the teen without his knowledge.

=== Arrest and conviction ===

Several months later, TORA found himself under arrest, facing numerous counts of sexual contact with the 14-year-old.<ref>''[http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/28/local/me-16030 Two Men Accused of Having Sex With Boy, 14]'' - [[Wikipedia:Los Angeles Times|Los Angeles Times]] (28 June 2001)</ref> After months of objections to a guilty plea, he eventually plead "[[Wikipedia:Nolo contendere|no contest]]" to one count of "lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 or 15 years old," serving over two years of a three-year sentence, and is a registered sex offender from these charges.

On his release in April 2004 he spent another three years under [[Wikipedia:Parole|parole]] restrictions, after which he rejoined the fandom.

=== Lulz.net ===

TORA's criminal past was detailed in a thread on furry [[imageboard]] [[Lulz.net]], with screenshots of AIM chatlogs detailing a sexual conversation between TORA and a 17 year-old boy. In the conversation, Tora states that he "does not mind" about age, and that he would engage in sexual activity with a boy 14 years old - but only if it were legal.

After this posting, Lulz.net users discovered additional information, including a listing on meganslaw.ca.gov and the LA Times article detailing his arrest.

=== Fur Affinity ban ===

TORA was banned from Fur Affinity on 23 September 2009. A conversation log<ref>Obliquely validated by [http://twitter.com/Dragoneer/status/4380406312 Twitter] [http://twitter.com/Dragoneer/status/4381293675 posts] from The Dragoneer</ref> between TORA (Daniel Llamas) and [[The Dragoneer]] (Preyfar) was discovered in Google's cache, revealing that TORA had knowingly engaged in sexually-oriented conversation with minors via FA notes:
{{q|... your response was "Don't be afraid to tell me. I won't report ya if you're not "of age" yet." and "Heh... you should just show me. I won't tell. XD" [...] if it were /just/ the conviction that's one thing... but we have notes between you and user where he admits he is 16 and he you are discussing him going down on himself with his "yoga" even *AFTER* he notifies you he is a minor. — The Dragoneer}}

=== July 2019 arrest ===

TORA was arrested again on July 10, 2019, by the [[W:Los Angeles Police Department|Los Angeles Police Juvenile Division]]. The charges are [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=311.1.&lawCode=PEN California Penal Code 311.1] and [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=311.11.&lawCode=PEN 311.11] relating to possession and distribution of underage obscene material,<ref>Information found on [http://www.lacourt.org/criminalcasesummary/ui/ Los Angeles Court Criminal Case Summary] case #BA479369</ref> which he has pleaded "not guilty". He is being held on bail for $40,000 at the [[W:Men's Central Jail|Men's Central Jail]] in [[W:Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, California]]. His court date is set for August 19, 2019. <ref>Information found on the [https://app5.lasd.org/iic/ajis_search.cfm Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department inmate locator]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Contributor|Almightytora}}
* [http://www.furaffinity.net/user/tora/ TORA] on [[Fur Affinity]]
* [http://almightytora.livejournal.com/ Almightytora] on [[LiveJournal]]
* [http://almightytora.deviantart.com/ Almightytora] on [[deviantART]]
* [https://www.reddit.com/user/almightytora/ Almightytora] on [[reddit]]
* [https://twitter.com/almightytora Almightytora] on [[Twitter]] (private)
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/almightytora Almightytora] on [[YouTube]]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Fursuiters]]
[[Category:Dog characters]]
[[Category:California]]
[[Category:1976 births]]

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TORA