LAWRENCE — A former Merrimack College business dean has been charged with possessing 1,000 stills and moving images of child pornography on his home computer.
Edward Popper, 63, of 120 Dascomb Road, Andover, served as dean of the Girard School of Business and International Commerce at the North Andover campus for five years before leaving in 2005.
He allegedly sat at his dining room table Thursday afternoon and admitted to state police investigators he had sent and received child sexual abuse images during online instant message conversations several times between April 1 and June 30 of this year.
Popper also admitted to possessing 1,000 still and moving images of child pornography on his computer, according to reports.
Armed with a search warrant for the digital and analog devices in Popper's Ballardvale home, investigators seized his computer. He was arrested and charged with distribution of obscene matter and possession of child pornography.
Popper was taken to the Andover state police barracks and booked, then released on $10,000 bail.
The one-time Merrimack College dean — a Harvard University graduate — previously served as business dean at Bellarmine College and Aurora University.
He also has held posts at Northeastern University, George Washington University and Boston University, written for dozens of academic publications and consulted for the Massachusetts attorney general.
Popper is listed as unemployed on court documents.
"He hasn't been with us for three years," said Kathleen Franzese, director of public relations at Merrimack College. "We have no comment."
During his arraignment yesterday in Lawrence District Court, Assistant District Attorney Maura Officer asked Judge Michael Brooks to continue the $10,000 cash bail and to impose conditions on Popper for his release.
Brooks agreed and ordered the bail to continue.
He also ordered Popper not to use any computer, cell phone, PDA or other device that could connect to the Internet, or to have any contact with children under the age of 18.
Popper was warned if he got in any further trouble he could be held in jail for 60 days without bail awaiting trial.
"At this time it would be premature to comment," Ted Cranney, Popper's court-appointed lawyer told a reporter in the lobby of the courthouse. "We have not had the opportunity to review what the commonwealth's allegations are. The police report was very limited."
"Upon thorough examination of the evidence, the situation may not be what it appears to be," Cranney said.
Popper later hung up on a reporter who called him at home.
The Essex County district attorney's office refused to comment on the case.
Popper was ordered to return to court on Sept. 16 for a pretrial hearing at Lawrence District Court. If convicted, he could end up in prison for up to five years.
