Plea deal for Vermont sheriff's deputy reached, accused of soliciting sex and nude photos

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. — A plea deal has been reached for a former sheriff's deputy accused of soliciting sex and nude photos from women in exchange for money that prosecutors say they used to buy drugs.

Stephen Bunnell, the former chief deputy of the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department, pleaded not guilty last fall to two counts of misdemeanor prohibited acts and two counts of prohibited conduct on suspicion of paying women for sex and nude photos.

A plea agreement filed in court on Monday calls for Bunnell to plead guilty to one count of prohibited conduct and an amended charge of disturbing the peace by telephone in exchange for a two-year deferred sentence, a $100 fine and $162 in court surcharges, the Caledonian-Record reported. The other two charges would be dismissed.

Under the plea deal, Bunnell must comply with the standard conditions of probation and participate and complete "a program or treatment for sex offenders" through the Department of Corrections. He also would be banned from engaging in any work or volunteer position in which he has direct supervisory authority over females, the newspaper reported.

The plea agreement must be approved by a judge. A change-of-plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.