A former Maine prison official pleaded guilty to theft and accepting a bribe after he spent nearly $2.4 million in stolen money.
Gerald Merrill, 64, of Abbot pleaded guilty Monday to theft by unauthorized taking and bribery of official and political matters in Penobscot County Superior Court.
A jury trial was scheduled to start March 19 before Merrill pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with the Office of the Maine Attorney General. The agreement is for 10 years in prison with all but five years suspended, plus three years of probation, Assistant Attorney General Charlie Boyle said.
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 thefts. Melanie High was also charged with theft by unauthorized taking and bribery of official and political matters. She pleaded guilty to the charges on 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.
Merrill bought nearly $2.4 million in maintenance supplies from five vendors and most supplies were not delivered, Boyle said. The vendors were connected to High or people who knew her, he said.
He made at least 529 credit card transactions and did it without following the normal process for ordering supplies for the prisons, Boyle said. High and Merrill had a code that “special orders” signaled that none of the ordered supplies would be delivered, he said.
High paid Merrill more than $500,000 through PayPal and Zelle for his role, Boyle said.
The bulk of the evidence was expected to be testimony from High, according to a trial brief previously filed by Merrill’s attorney, Walt 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.
The amount of restitution will be decided at Merrill’s sentencing. Merrill will not give up his state pension as part of this plea, Boyle said. That will help ensure the likely six-figure restitution will be paid.
Merrill is scheduled for sentencing at 3 p.m. on May 12.
