GREENFIELD — A former Bernardston and Buckland police officer will spend the next four to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to eight child pornography charges in a change of plea hearing Monday.

Jacob Wrisley, 42, pleaded guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to six counts of child pornography and single counts of posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct and photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling the sexual or other intimate parts of a child. He is to serve his sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, followed by five years of probation with strict conditions aimed at reducing the likelihood of another child being harmed.

Assistant District Attorney Anne Yereniuk, who prosecuted the case, told Judge Karen Goodwin that tens of thousands of images of child sexual material were found on Wrisley’s devices — laptops, USB drives and an iPhone XR — following a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after he sent an image from one of his emails accounts to another.

Yereniuk read Goodwin the facts she felt she would prove if the case went to trial and, as required, the judge asked the defendant if the statements were accurate. Wrisley said not everything Yereniuk reported was true, but he was willing to “admit to everything to get this over with.” Goodwin said she is not allowed to let that happen and permitted Wrisley a chance to talk privately with his attorney, Robert Kinzer, who later told the judge his client now understood what Yereniuk said. Wrisley then told Goodwin he committed the crimes detailed by Yereniuk.

Yereniuk said the “ginormous collection” of images is particularly egregious because of Wrisley’s position of authority as a police officer.

“[This is] nothing less than betrayal to the oath that he swore to protect the people of Franklin County,” she said.

Wrisley had been employed as a part-time officer with the Bernardston and Buckland police departments for years. He was suspended and then fired following his arrest on possession of child pornography charges in May 2021. Two counts of possession of child pornography were eventually dismissed.

“Upon learning of the arrest and charges brought against Jacob Wrisley, I was shocked and saddened,” Bernardston Police Chief James Palmeri said in a statement in May 2021. “I have a zero-tolerance approach when it involves charges of this nature, and some circumstances need immediate action. I have suspended Mr. Wrisley from the Bernardston Police Department and will be seeking his immediate termination from the town.”

Wrisley had worked one or two shifts a month in Buckland.

Yereniuk also read victim impact statements written by the parents of a child that Wrisley once recorded as she undressed in a bathroom. Both parents said their lives have been forever altered by Wrisley’s crimes and they dealt with emotional issues since he was arrested.

“The most innocent and pure were the ones he preyed on,” the father wrote.

The mother wrote that her trust in humanity has been shattered.

When it was his turn to speak, Kinzer explained his client is extremely remorseful for his crimes and that his life has been ruined by them. He said Wrisley has lost his friends and his employment, being able to only find work performing odd jobs for family members.

“The level of hatred he feels for himself ... I don’t think I can quantify it,” Kinzer said.

He said Wrisley takes responsibility for his actions, there is no evidence that the crimes involved his career as a police officer and he should not be punished more harshly because he used to work in law enforcement. Kinzer, who stressed his advocacy was his duty as a defense attorney, also said there is no evidence that the video he secretly recorded was meant for distribution.

“There is hope for rehabilitation,” he said.

Goodwin said she took the victim impact statements into consideration when reaching her decision about punishment.

“Every sentencing is a difficult sentencing — this is one of the more difficult ones,” she said, adding that she did not feel the 10-year maximum sentence was necessary.

Wrisley must complete a sexual offender treatment program while in prison. After he is released, he must abide by several conditions, including staying 100 yards away from the victim and her family and avoiding places where children under 18 are known to congregate.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.