By Alan J. Keays/VTDigger
A former teacher at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse materials and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Norman Merrill II, 46, of Chester entered his guilty plea to the federal charge Tuesday, Dec. 20, during a video hearing held by U.S. District Court in Burlington. His plea deal with prosecutors calls for Judge Christina Reiss to impose the prison term and a lifetime of supervised release.
The judge could also order restitution to the victims, the 12-page plea agreement stated.
Merrill has been jailed since his arrest in May.
Reiss said during the hearing she was not ready to accept the plea agreement until she had more information about Merrill and the offense he admitted committing. The judge set a sentencing hearing for April 24, 2023, and ordered the federal probation office to conduct a pre-sentence investigation.
Merrill was arrested in May after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of producing and possessing child sexual abuse materials.
Chester Police Department officers received a report May 7 of potential voyeurism at Merrill’s home, according to court documents filed in the case.
Two days later, Chester police interviewed a child who reported finding a recording device in a bathroom at Merrill’s residence, the documents stated.
Vermont State Police found a memory card filled with numerous videos taken in bathrooms, showing unclothed young girls, according to court records.
Merrill at that time was a language arts teacher at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester.
