Former Sparta United Methodist pastor charged with five felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor

The former pastor of Sparta United Methodist Church has been charged with five felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. A warrant states that Miller allegedly possessed visual representations of minors in sexual situations. The charges are allegations at this stage and have not been proven in court.

The case began on August 30, when members of the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation responded to a call for service in Roaring Gap. The call concerned suspicious material on an individual’s cellphone. Investigators developed probable cause to seize the phone and submitted it to the SBI laboratory for forensic examination.

After the examination was completed, Miller was charged with the felony offenses. The source material does not describe the forensic findings beyond the charges that followed.

Miller was given a $25,000 bond. The source reports that Miller is scheduled to appear in court on November 10th. Protecting children from exploitation is a matter of defending those who cannot defend themselves (Psalm 82:3).

Source: Read the original report