Former Central Michigan University professor pleads guilty to child porn charge

Thousands of images found on William Merrill's campus computer

William L Merrill

DETROIT – A former Central Michigan University professor has pleaded guilty to a child pornography charge.

William L. Merrill, 58, was arrested last year after CMU staff noticed a large data transfer from his campus computer.

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More than 65,000 pornographic images were found on Merrill's campus and home computers.

On Friday, he pleaded guilty to one charge of receiving child porn. Other more serious charges were dropped.

Merrill faces a minimum of five years in prison.