STARKSBORO — Starksboro resident Will Parini, a former Addison Northeast Supervisory Union elementary school music teacher arrested in March on federal child pornography distribution and possession charges, will plead guilty on one of the two charges in a court hearing on Thursday, according to his attorney
Attorney Peter Langrock on Wednesday said Parini was scheduled to go in front of a judge at the U.S. District Court in Rutland for a change of plea hearing on Thursday afternoon. Although Langrock said he could not disclose the terms of the agreement beforehand, he said the plea agreement would become public record after it is submitted to the judge on Thursday.
“Until the plea agreement is a matter of public record I don’t want to discuss the contents,” said Langrock.
Parini, who taught music at Bristol Elementary School and Starksboro’s Robinson Elementary School, was suspended from the position in March following a search of his house and an ensuing arrest by federal agents.
An FBI investigation that originated in Texas led agents to trace the email address [email protected], which prosecutors said had sent and received pornographic photographs of minors. Federal agents traced access to the account back to an IP address that was in use by a computer at the Starksboro home Parini and his wife own.
In March, officials at the two schools where Parini taught said there was no evidence that Parini had had any inappropriate contact with students. Parini was released under the condition of house arrest, with limitations on usage of electronic devices and contact with children.
Until this week the case had been moving toward trial, and jury selection was scheduled for Oct. 19. While Parini’s plea will only concern one of the two charges, Langrock said ordinarily a plea agreement disposes of all charges.
Following Thursday’s hearing, Langrock said there will be a pre-sentencing investigation that typically lasts between 60 and 90 days. Following the investigation, the judge will determine a sentence.
Reporter Andrea Suozzo is at [email protected].