Stamford Man, Ex-CNN Producer Pleads Guilty To Child Sex Charge: Report

STAMFORD, CT — John Griffin, a Stamford resident and former CNN producer who is accused of luring young girls to his Vermont ski home to engage in sex acts, accepted a plea deal earlier this week, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that Griffin, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to using interstate commerce to entice and coerce a 9-year-old girl to engage in sex acts at his Vermont ski house.

As part of the plea deal, the government will drop two remaining counts of enticement of a minor, the AP said.

Griffin met a woman on a website during the summer of 2020 and persuaded the woman to bring her 9-year-old daughter to his Ludlow, Vt., ski home for illegal sexual activity, according to the plea deal.

Griffin paid the woman to fly with the girl from Nevada to Boston, where he picked them up, took them back to his Vermont home and sexually assaulted the girl, the AP said, citing court records.

The AP said Griffin faces a possible sentence of at least 10 years and up to life. Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2023.

A plea deal was first offered in June of this year.

Griffin was arrested by the FBI on Dec. 10, 2021, after a federal grand jury in Vermont charged him with three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Griffin started working for CNN as a producer in April 2013. His profile described him as the lead anchor's senior producer for "New Day", CNN's flagship morning program.

CNN Fired Griffin shortly after he was arrested.

AP News is a contributor to this post. Read more on Griffin's plea deal from AP News.