Sarasota Boat Captain Arrested on Alleged Child Pornography Charges

SARASOTA, FL—On Thursday, September 30, 2010, the Innocent Images Task Force (IITF), which consists of investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Largo Police Department, and the FBI arrested Mark Ashmun Brown, age 52, without incident. The arrest occurred at Brown’s place of employment, 2 Marina Plaza, Slip D7, Sarasota, Florida. Brown resides at 5048 Vinson Way, Sarasota, Florida.

The premise of this arrest was based on activities involving the sexual exploitation of minors.

According to the federal complaint, between approximately September 2009 and September 2010, Mark Brown transported and distributed child pornography online, possessed child pornography, and attempted to receive child pornography.

On September 30, 2010, a federal search warrant was executed at Brown's place of employment, a yacht named "A loan At Last" which was moored at a marina in Sarasota, Florida and which Brown captained. During a Post Miranda interview, he confessed to possessing and sending child pornography over the internet.

Significant investigative assistance was provided by the Central Florida ICAC Task Force, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota Police Department, Boynton Beach Police Department, and the Suffolk County Police Department, New York.

Criminal prosecution of this matter will be addressed by the United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida.

The IITF is requesting anyone with information about this matter, including information regarding potential victims, to contact the FBI Tampa Office at 813/253-1000.

The charges in the federal complaint are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until proven guilty.