Published: January 11, 2008 10:19 pm         

Former Vigo employee gets 35 years for sex crimes

TERRE HAUTE — A former Vigo County employee Friday was sentenced to 35 years in a state prison on three counts of child molestation involving a boy younger than 14.

Anthony E. Miller, 41, was sentenced in Vigo County court to 35 years in prison on each of three counts of child molestation. The sentences will be served concurrently.

In addition, upon his release, Miller is to register as a sex offender.

Miller was manager of Vigo County’s data processing department from 1994 until shortly after his arrest on Jan. 26, 2006. He also worked locally for years as a Santa Claus, although not since at least 2003. A Vigo County jury found Miller guilty of the charges last month.

Robert E. Roberts, chief deputy prosecutor, had requested Miller be sentenced to 40 years in prison, saying Miller’s action significantly impacted the boy. The felony charges carry a penalty of 20 to 50 years, with 30 years as the presumptive sentence, a starting point from state sentencing guidelines based on the severity of the crime.

Judge David A. Bolk, Vigo County Superior Court Div. 3, agreed that the case warranted aggravated circumstances. Bolk pointed out that the boy has autism and referred to DNA evidence submitted during Miller’s jury trial.

Carpet fibers from the basement of the Hendrich Title Co. on Ohio Street, where Miller was employed as an after-hours computer technician, were tested and found to contain semen from both Miller and the victim. Semen also was found on napkins in the floorboards of Miller’s truck. DNA testing indicated it had come from Miller and the boy, corroborating the boy’s court testimony.

The judge stated that the jury in Miller’s trial had questioned the court why only three charges were filed, instead of eight or nine charges.

During Bolk’s tenure as a Superior Court judge, “This is the most evidence that I have seen” in a child molestation trial, Bolk said.

After Bolk imposed the sentence, Miller told the court he planned to appeal, requesting a public defender be appointed on his behalf. Bolk appointed defense attorney John Kesler II for his appeal.

“I still maintain my innocence of the charges against me,” Miller said. “I have been a member of this community for 41 years and have lived with my mother the entire time. We have a strong family and we still do.”

Miller said the charges caused pain to his mother, who suffered a heart attack after he was arrested in 2006. “That hurt me deeply. I do intend to appeal,” he said.

After the sentencing, the victim’s mother said her son “has long-term damage. He doesn’t really seem to like himself, so he picks up other personalities, anyone but himself. The hardest thing for me is that Miller hasn’t admitted his guilt and accepted responsibility for his actions, which tells me that 10 years from now he will still feel like he did nothing wrong.

“The first steps to recovery is accepting responsibility for your actions,” the boy’s mother said.

She thanked Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt, former prosecutor Robert Wright, Terre Haute police detective Rick Decker and Sgt. Robert Abbinett for Miller’s arrest and conviction.

“He would still be touching other children,” she said.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.