A 60-year-old registered sex offender has been arrested in Massachusetts after police accused him of secretly recording children near Boston Common’s Frog Pond using camera-equipped sunglasses and a cellphone.
According to police, the incident happened around 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, when witnesses reported seeing Mark Sullivan allegedly filming children and following a family as they attempted to move away from him.
Witnesses Report Alleged Recording at Frog Pond
Boston police said witnesses saw Sullivan recording children as a family tried to change their clothes near the Frog Pond. The children were reportedly covered with towels while changing.
Witnesses allegedly told investigators that Sullivan continued following the family and recording them after they moved to another location. Some witnesses also reported seeing him use his cellphone to capture images.
When people confronted Sullivan, police said he removed the camera-equipped sunglasses and attempted to damage them. Officers later found the damaged sunglasses in his possession.
Sullivan reportedly told police that a group of people had assaulted him and tried to take the sunglasses from him. The family involved had left the area before officers arrived.
Police Arrest Suspect at Brockton Home
Investigators determined that Sullivan was listed on the Massachusetts sex offender registry. Police seized both the sunglasses and his cellphone as part of the investigation.
Boston police and U.S. Marshals arrested Sullivan at his home in Brockton on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Authorities said Sullivan is classified as a level three sex offender and has 10 previous convictions connected to child sex offenses, according to state records.
Sullivan Pleads Not Guilty as Bail Is Set at $250,000
Sullivan was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court and pleaded not guilty to a charge involving photographing the sexual or intimate parts of a child.
Prosecutors requested $100,000 bail, but the judge ultimately set bail at $250,000. If Sullivan is released, he would face several restrictions, including staying away from children and Boston, wearing GPS monitoring equipment and being prohibited from using the internet.
The judge indicated that the bail amount could potentially be reconsidered depending on the results of forensic examinations of Sullivan’s electronic devices.
Sullivan’s next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing criminal case, and Sullivan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
