Mendota funeral director had explicit photos of teen girl, prosecutor says

Prosecutor Greg Sticka said the search of a Mendota funeral director’s home and business yielded sexually explicit images of a female teenager who confirmed to police she was 14 to 15 years of age at the time the photos were taken.

Brett W. Merritt, 54, who bonded out of jail Wednesday afternoon, is charged with two counts of felony child pornography and faces two to five years in prison, with the possibility of probation.

The sentencing range is less than first projected, but in twin statements, the Mendota Police Department and La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office would not rule out additional and/or more serious counts.

“This investigation is ongoing and additional criminal charges are imminent,” police said in a Tuesday release.

“The investigation into the matter continues at this time and the State’s Attorney’s Office review of the investigation and charges are ongoing at this time,” the state’s attorney’s office said in a Wednesday statement.

Merritt was arrested Tuesday after police from multiple agencies executed a pair of search warrants at his home and business and seized the allegedly illicit images.

Sticka said the teenage girl told police she had spent “a significant amount of time” with Merritt and police found images of the girl and Merritt together.

Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia set bond at $75,000 with supplemental conditions including no contact with the teen. The judge set an Aug. 3 court date for appearance with counsel and possible arraignment.

Merritt told the court he was told private counsel was retained on his behalf, but the attorney, not yet known to Merritt, was unavailable Wednesday.

Mendota police said Merritt was arrested following “a six-month investigation into multiple and various crimes.” Assisting Mendota police Tuesday were the La Salle County sheriff’s and state’s attorney’s offices and the Illinois Attorney General’s Forensic Computer Crimes Unit.