Feds: Largo Puppeteer Wanted to Cook, Eat Children

A 57-year-old puppeteer from Largo was arrested last week by federal agents and charged with conspiring to kidnap young children and talking online about torturing and eating them.

Ronald William Brown, 57, was busted by U.S. Marshals at his Whispering Pines mobile home park off 142nd Street and is being held in the Pinellas County Jail, WTSP 10 News reports.

Criminal complaint documents posted on the news station's website show Brown allegedly chatted online with another man last year about kidnapping and eating children, describing how they would abduct them and cook their body parts on a stove.

Last Thursday, federal agents seized images of child pornography, children engaged in bondage and images of what appear to be dead children, according to the criminal complaint posted by WTSP.

Brown allegedly told agents he discussed killing and eating a boy he knows at his church, but that "it was just a fantasy and he could never and would never hurt anyone."

According to the website for his business, Puppets Plus, Brown has been "entertaining throughout West Central Florida since 1991" and has performed at numerous schools, churches, private parties and events around St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Agents say Brown told them he helps out in the children's area of the church he attends and that "every Wednesday several children from his neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods come to his house for pizza and he gives them all a ride to church in a van provided by his church."

Agents found Brown's name listed in the Pinellas County Schools speaker directory as a puppetry speaker for kindergarten through eighth grade, according to the complaint posted by WTSP.

A school district spokesperson told TBO.com Brown's his name was removed Monday because of his arrest and that the district would review its application process for the directory.

Brown is scheduled appear in federal court Tuesday afternoon in front of U.S. Magistrate Thomas Wilson, the news station reports.

Watch WTSP's full video report online.