Coast man sexually abused at least six young boys ages 5 to 14 for years, records say
A Perkinston man jailed on 16 felony charges is accused of sexually assaulting young boys between the ages of 5 and 14 for years before the alleged crimes surfaced, according to Hancock County authorities and criminal affidavits filed in the case.
Bryan Keith Ladner, 40, is being held at the Hancock County jail on 10 counts of molestation, three counts of sexual battery and three counts of producing child pornography.
He’s been in custody since early November when sheriff’s investigators initially arrested him on several molestation charges. As the investigation continued, the charges started to mount, the records show.
So far, Hancock County investigators have identified at least six victims, including one boy who said he was forced to pose for sexually-explicit photos allegedly taken by Ladner in a barn on Christmas Day 2016, the records say. Sheriff’s investigators recovered the images.
“He had been grooming them for a while and abusing them,” Hancock County Sheriff’s Chief investigator, Glenn Grannan said. “We are probably going to have more victims.”
On Thursday, Ladner is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Hancock County. If Ladner waives his hearing, the case will be bound over to a Hancock County grand jury for indictment.
The investigation that led to Ladner’s arrest began after one of the victims, now in his teens, broke down and told his parents that he had been sexually assaulted for years. He identified Ladner as the suspect. The boy’s parents reported the allegations to Hancock County sheriff’s deputies.
Since then, each of the victims identified by investigators has been questioned in forensic interviews by authorities. During those interviews, the boys provided additional details about the crimes.
The reports say the alleged crimes occurred at different times over a number of years dating back to 2015 or earlier, primarily in and around a home in Perkinston.
The victims shared these accounts of abuse, according the court documents:
- A 5-year-old boy said Ladner threatened to beat him if he didn’t comply with demands.
- Another boy recalled getting out of the shower when Ladner allegedly attacked him from behind.
- Another boy told investigators he was on break from school when Ladner allegedly caught up with him.
According to court papers, Ladner is accused of sexually assaulting each of the minor boys over a number of years, the extent of which remains under investigation.
If Ladner waives his preliminary hearing Thursday, the case will be bound over to a Hancock County grand jury for indictment.
Ladner remains jailed on a nearly $1 million bond.
If he is indicted and convicted of all the charges, he faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
To report information, call the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department at 228-466-6900.
This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 12:58 PM.
