BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Depew man and retired Maryland teacher pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on Tuesday.
Richard Scherer, 71, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Scherer was a teacher for about 25 years in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools.
In June of last year, prosecutors say Scherer went to a grocery store to meet up with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl, but was confronted by a concerned citizen who had been posing online as the child for about two months. During that time, Scherer had been discussing with the person different sexual acts.
Law enforcement was notified about the incident and Scherer was arrested. A search of his phone resulted in the seizure of an image of child pornography.
Scherer's sentencing is scheduled for September.