INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - City-County Councilman Jeff Miller was charged Friday with three counts of child molestation.
The charges came after our sources had confirmed police executed a search warrant at Miller's home tied to a child sex crimes investigation. Two young girls told child sex crime detectives about "inappropriate touching" by a man led to the search warrant and questioning of Councilman Miller.
Prosecutors say in court documents all three incidents happened between Sept. 1 and Oct. 20 with "a child under the age of 14 years." The incidents allegedly happened at Miller's home near Fountain Square.
Court documents say one of the girls told investigators Miller "did bad touch" to her. She said it started in September and continued over several visits.
During one visit at his house, Councilman Miller allegedly massaged the 10-year-old's legs, to the very top of her thigh, her back, patted her bottom and touched under her shirt pulling on a bra strap.
The mother of the second victim said Miller grabbed her daughter's buttocks while he gave her horsey rides.
The mom says she'd been watching Miller after seeing "red flags" in his behavior. She said her daughter told her about the frequent massages the children allegedly both gave and received from Miller.
She "wasn't entirely comfortable" with the way Miller picked the children up.
Miller's conduct came up when one of the victims saw a news story about Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer accused of sexual misconduct. Parents reminded her she could talk with them if she ever had a problem. A short time later, she told them about the massages from Councilman Miller.
She said it made her feel really bad and was not appropriate.
When Councilman Miller talked to investigators, he admitted to massaging the children but never inappropriately.
He said he didn't touch anyone's groin area, but "Again, um, I would not say anything she said's untrue. If she said something...it's w...whatever she felt."
He said he did not believe they were lying. But he doesn't know why they didn't say something if they were troubled.
Miller's attorney arranged for his client to surrender to police Friday afternoon. He left the Marion County Jail shortly after 10 p.m. Friday. Miller declined comment to Eyewitness News Friday afternoon as he pulled out of his driveway, then again Friday night as he left the jail.
A spokesperson for the Marion County prosecutor's office says Prosecutor Terry Curry doesn't have any intention at this point to request a special prosecutor in this case.
Miller's family and friends said before the charges were filed that he's done nothing wrong.
His official bio on the city's website identifies him as a Republican who was first elected in November 2011 and re-elected in 2015, and "a proud recipient of the 2010 Mayor's Community Service Award."
Miller resigned from the City-County Council, effective Monday (November 20), according to Marion County Republican Central Committee Chairman Jim Merritt.