LOGAN — A 48-year-old Hyrum man has been sent to prison for grooming a teenage girl to have an ongoing sexual relationship with him from 2009 to 2013. Ernest “Ernie” G. Miller was ordered to serve a term of zero-to-five years in the Utah State Correctional Facility and four years of probation.
Court records show, Miller was sentenced March 26 in Logan’s 1st District Court. He previously accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to rape of a child, a first-degree felony; sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony; and unlawful sexual activity with a 16 or 17 year old, a third-degree felony.
According to prosecutors, Logan City Police officers began investigating Miller after the victim reported being sexually abused for years from the time she was 12-years-old into adulthood. The girl was more than 19 years younger than the defendant, who was described as a family friend.
The woman described multiple times she was groped, molested and later raped by Miller. She said that she was originally very nervous because she had a crush on the defendant.
As the incidents continued, the girl became pregnant when she was 17-years-old. The victim said Miller knew about this and drove her to Salt Lake City to have an abortion. Medical records were later obtained and confirmed the procedure.
Miller’s case was pending for more than three years as attorneys negotiated the plea resolution. It had been scheduled for trial several times.
Court staff report, Miller was also sentenced to complete sex-offender treatment, be placed on the sex-offender registry and have no access to internet pornography. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim, and pay $24,015 in fines and restitution.