Harrison James Miller, a resident of Hagerstown, Maryland, has entered a guilty plea for charges involving the sexual exploitation of minors. The 32-year-old registered sex offender was indicted on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and a felony crime involving a minor. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes disclosed the details of Miller's plea, in cooperation with the FBI's Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Washington County State’s Attorney Gina M. Cirincion, and Hagerstown Police Chief Paul Kifer.
Court records reveal that Miller was initially required to register as a sex offender following a previous conviction in Pennsylvania related to a crime involving an 8-year-old. After his prison release in August 2022, Miller relocated to Hagerstown but failed to meet his registration obligations. He subsequently abused two children, ages 4 and 5, over several months and stored illicit images in a secure folder on his cellphone. The abuse came to light when one of the victims reported it to their mother, leading to Miller's arrest. A police investigation uncovered stored images and additional evidence.
Miller is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and could face up to 80 years in federal prison. Sentencing for such crimes is often less severe than the maximum punishment, with decisions made by a federal district court judge. The sentencing is scheduled for July 25, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative from the Department of Justice started in 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to coordinate efforts at multiple levels to prosecute offenders and protect victims.
U.S. Attorney Hayes recognized the contributions of the FBI, the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Hagerstown Police Department in the investigation. Thanks were also extended to Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn for her role in the prosecution. Further information on federal programs and community support resources can be found at the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office website.
