Maine prison official accused of taking bribes pleads not guilty
By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff
BANGOR — A Maine prison official accused of taking bribes pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges he faces.
Gerald Merrill, 61, pleaded not guilty to theft by unauthorized taking and bribery of official and political matters during a hearing Tuesday in Penobscot County Superior Court.
Merrill is accused of stealing more than $10,000 from the state of Maine over the course of nine years, according to a grand jury indictment. Melanie High, 67, is facing the same charges. Her hearing is scheduled for January.
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.
Merrill was arrested July 25. He allegedly used state-issued credit cards to make payments to five companies controlled by High from March 2014 to July 23, 2023. He then put kickbacks and payments into his personal accounts, the indictment said.
High is accused of bribing Merrill to make payments to her five companies, A to Z Chemical Supply, ACS Solutions, Service Industries, Southern Source Industries and Starlite Supplies.
Merrill and High are out on bond. Merrill is scheduled for his next hearing on Jan. 3.
NOT GUILTY PLEAS — Gerald Merrill, right in gray, shakes hands with his attorney, Walter McKee. Merrill pleaded not guilty to two criminal charges in Penobscot County Superior Court. He is accused of taking more than $10,000 in kickbacks.