Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Sudbury Internet Sex Crime

A Kansas man has pleaded guilty to an Internet sex crime involving a Sudbury teen that took place while he was in the Kansas Sexual Predator Treatment Program at Larned State Hospital.

Mark D. Brull, 38, who is a patient at Larned State Hospital, pleaded guilty to one count of transferring obscene material to a child. In his plea, he admitted that while he resided at Larned State Hospital he became friends with co-defendant Ryan J. Dancosse, a resident of Wichita. Brull provided Dancosse with the passwords to Brull’s social networking profiles including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube, as well as his email account. With Brull’s knowledge and agreement, Dancosse found and copied images of pornography and then uploaded the images to Brull’s accounts for others to see and discuss.

"In May of 2011 Sudbury Police detectives initiated an investigation into suspicious correspondence between a 14-year-old resident and an adult male, who was later determined to be under treatment in the Kansas Sexual Predator Treatment Program at the Larned State Hospital in Kansas," Sudbury Police Chief Scott Nix said in a release. "Upon learning of the suspect’s location, Sudbury Detectives began working extensively with Kansas authorities to bring the case to a successful resolution. One of our detectives was scheduled to testify this week but was cancelled as a result of the plea listed in the release from Kansas."

In April 2011, Brull and Dancosse began communicating with a 14–year-old boy living in Sudbury, Mass. In April and May 2011 Brull communicated with the boy via email and telephone. Brull guided the boy to his social networking profiles on the Internet, where he knew Dancosse had uploaded pornography. The boy was able to view the images on his computer and then discuss them with Brull. The images included depictions of nude males performing sexual acts.

"Although we cannot disclose the particulars given the nature of the case we want to remind residents to remain diligent in monitoring their children’s use of electronic medium to include cell phones, laptops/computers, and any of the many sources allowing internet access," Nix said. "If for any reason you feel your child may be in jeopardy, whether physically or mentally, please contact us our department for assistance. Matters as such are held in the utmost confidentiality. Unfortunately, predators as such will go to endless lengths to perpetrate their plans at the peril of our youth!"

Sentencing is set for Oct. 4. Both parties have agreed to recommend to the judge a sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Co-defendant Ryan J. Dancosse, 40, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. He is set for sentencing Oct. 2.

Grissom commended the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wichita Police Department and the Sudbury, Mass., Police Department , U.S. Attorney Jason Hart and Attorney General Steve Karrer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office.