BANGOR, Maine — The deputy superintendent of two Maine prisons was arrested Tuesday after detectives from the Office of the Maine Attorney General and Maine State Police executed search warrants at his home.
Gerald E. Merrill Jr. has been charged with one count of theft by unauthorized taking and one count of bribery in official and political matters, according to a release from the Maine attorney general's office. Merrill currently serves as deputy superintendent of the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston and the Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport.
He made an initial court appearance virtually in Bangor before the Unified Criminal Docket on Wednesday. His bail was set at $5,000 and includes a no-contact order, but the name of the individual was withheld.
Merrill is accused of engaging "in a long-running scheme using State funds to purchase products from certain vendors in exchange for illegal kickback payments," the release stated.
Officials said an investigation was launched after the Maine State Auditor’s Office noticed an irregular volume of funds being spent on purchase cards under Merrill’s control.
“I am deeply disturbed by these allegations and fully support the actions of the Attorney General’s Office,” Randy Liberty, commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, said in the release. “The Maine Department of Corrections expects its employees, like all State employees, to adhere to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct and failure to do so is unacceptable."
"While evidence of public corruption is thankfully rare in Maine, my office, Commissioner Liberty, and Auditor Dunlap take these allegations incredibly seriously,” Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey added.
Merrill was transferred to the Penobscot County Jail, according to the news release.
Merrill's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 10.
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