SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. — A former Vermont principal has pleaded guilty to charges of videotaping underage girls at his home.

Dean Stearns, formerly principal of the South Royalton School, entered his plea Tuesday to promoting sexual recordings and voyeurism.

The 56-year-old was arrested last year after a 16-year-old girl who was staying at his home in Sharon called police and said she believed she was being videotaped.

Investigators later recovered evidence of five victims recorded by Stearns in his home. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 17.

Stearns resigned as school principal shortly after his initial court hearing.

He will be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison with all but five years suspended as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.