SKOWHEGAN (AP) – A retired Waterville police officer will not serve jail time for possessing child pornography but must undergo sex abuse counseling under a plea agreement.

Roger Martin, 47, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty last week to one count of possession of sexually explicit materials. He was given a 364-day suspended sentence, one year of probation and a $1,000 fine.

He must complete sex abuse counseling and forfeit computer equipment seized by investigators. Martin’s unsupervised contact with children is restricted during probation.

A second charge of disseminating pornographic materials was dismissed under the plea agreement accepted by Skowhegan District Court Judge Douglas Clapp.

First Assistant District Attorney David W. Crook said Martin was arrested after he engaged in an exchange of explicit e-mails with a New Hampshire police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy in an Internet chat room.

“The e-mail back and forth was very explicit, and very graphic, and involved, at best, strange and bizarre fantasies,” Crook said.

Maine State Police computer technicians who examined the hard drive on Martin’s computer found 96 photos of male children he had downloaded from the Internet, Crook said.

Crook called the sentence appropriate because Martin is a first time offender and the charge is a misdemeanor.

Martin worked as a patrol officer for the Waterville Police Department for 23 years before retiring three years ago.

AP-ES-06-03-03 0215EDT