Florida puppeteer arrested for conspiracy to kidnap a child and child pornography charges
A Florida puppeteer was arrested and charged with conspiring to kidnap a child and possession of child pornography according to a complaint filed in Tampa court on Friday.
NBC reports that Ronald Brown was arrested after federal and local agents found online chats in which he talked about abducting, murdering, and cannibalizing children. He had an interest for a boy that attended the same church as him. There were also pornographic images of children on the computer.
Brown had many ties to organizations that were highly populated with children. Tampa Bay Times said he had been hired to puppeteer for them.
An affidavit stated Brown saying that he and another cannibalism supporter “ did discuss killing, dismembering, and eating,” a specific boy at the church he attended. Brown said “it was just a fantasy and he could never hurt anyone.”
According to Brown Michael Arnett traveled to Florida to meet with him but he would not respond because he did not want to follow through on the acts.
Brown made his first appearance Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Tampa. The hearing was postponed so that Brown could find an attorney and he is held without bail.
