Firefighter pleads guilty to child porn

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Springfield firefighter facing child pornography charges has changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.

Brian Wilkerson entered the new plea Monday during a hearing at the U.S. District Court. He faces four counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing it. Sentencing is set for Feb. 11.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow told 22News Wilkerson faces a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 90 years.

Wilkerson resigned from his $52,000-a-year job after he was suspended without pay pending the outcome of his case.

Federal law enforcement officers arrested the 12-year veteran firefighter at the Worthington Street fire headquarters on June 10. The agents also seized a laptop computer from his locker that contained pornographic images.

Wilkerson's attorney, Joseph Franco, did not immediately return a call seeking comment after business hours.