Emerson Avoids Prison For Smuggling Drugs Into Jail

A popular former deacon at the Church of St. William will not serve a prison term after admitting he smuggled drugs to inmates at the Middlesex County House of Correction in Billerica.

William Emerson, 67, known has "Deacon Bill" to many St. William parishioners, admitted to sufficient facts on three charges of delivering drugs to a prisoner, according to multiple media reports.

A judge agreed to continue the case without a finding until 2013. By admitting to sufficient facts, Emerson was conceding that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him at trial.

Emerson was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service and to stay away from jails, acording to the Lowell Sun.

as well as into a second jail. Investigators say he told them that he was being blackmailed by the two prisoners, who were aware that Emerson had pornography on his home computer. The investigators subsequently seized Emerson's computer and found legal, adult pornographic images.

It was not indicated how the men knew the images were on the computer.

Emerson was fired by the House of Correction on March 3, 2011, after the charges first came to light.

Shortly afterward,

Emerson had long been a highly respected members of the St. William parish and of the Tewksbury community. In particular, he has been extremely active in efforts to curb teen drug use.