A former Maine prison official will plead guilty to theft and accepting a bribe.
Gerald Merrill, 64, of Abbot, is charged with theft by unauthorized taking and bribery of official and political matters in Penobscot County Superior Court. He is scheduled to plead guilty to both charges on Monday, his attorney, Walt McKee confirmed to the Bangor Daily News.
Merrill was the deputy superintendent and business manager at the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston and the Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport at the time of the alleged thefts.
Melanie High was also charged with theft by unauthorized taking and bribery of official and political matters. She pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 3, 2025.
From March 2014 to July 23, 2023, Merrill allegedly used state-issued credit cards to make payments to five companies controlled by High. He then received kickbacks and other payments to his personal accounts.
A jury trial was scheduled to start March 19.
The bulk of the evidence was expected to be testimony from High, according to a trial brief filed by McKee. She agreed to cooperate as part of a “highly favorable deal” with the state, the filing said.
Merrill solicited and accepted money from High and the five companies, while knowing the payments were intended to influence his actions as a public servant, a grand jury indictment said.
High has not yet been sentenced, according to court records.
