Merrimack professor arrested for child pornography

By Anthony Miller
WHDH
September 19, 2014

http://www.whdh.com/story/26580209/merrimack-professor-arrested-for-child-pornography

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (WHDH) - A Merrimack College professor has been charged with possession of child pornography he allegedly accessed with a college computer, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Gary Spring, 61, was chairman of the civil engineering department and administrator of a youth summer camp at the North Andover campus when the pornography, which included images of young girls, was discovered, prosecutors said. He was arrested Friday and the college said he was fired.

Students say Spring was a nice guy that kept to himself.

"He kind of kept to himself I really didn't know too much about him but from what I did know he was a really good guy a nice guy,” Nickolas Dewhurt sad.

Merrimack began investigating in June after getting virus alerts for a computer loaned to Spring. Campus security investigators discovered he was logged on when the alerts were triggered and that the computer was used to access child porn, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said search warrants executed by federal investigators found child pornography at Spring's office and his Danvers home.

A residential telephone listed to Spring wasn't accepting messages Friday. It is not immediately known if he has an attorney.

"Upon the outset of this investigation Professor Spring was immediately placed on administrative leave and forbidden to return to campus. Under college personnel policies Merrimack on Friday immediately terminated his employment," a statement from the school said.

"Our prayers today are for all victims of sexual exploitation, especially those unable to speak for themselves, and the college encourages everyone to immediately call potential abuse to the attention of the proper authorities," the statement said.