CMU prof accused in child porn case

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (WOOD) - A Central Michigan University professor has been suspended as he is the subject of a child pornography investigation.

Prof. William Lord Merrill, 58, was charged Thursday with four felony counts, according to a CMU press release. The campus newspaper Central Michigan Life reports he faces one count of child sexual abuse, one count of possessing child sexual abuse materials and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.

He also faces one misdemeanor count related to possession of a switchblade, according to the release.

The investigation began Monday morning after authorities received a tip from some who said they saw child pornography on Merill's university computer, according to the release.

Merrill, a tenured professor in the College of Education and Human Services, was placed on leave Monday pending the results of the investigation. He has also been banned from campus for the duration.