A St. Francois County man was sentenced on April 28 to 50 years in prison for recording his sexual abuse of two underage girls, according to the U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
Judge Matthew T. Schelp told Richard James Miller during sentencing, "You’re not going to get out again. You’re not going to get an opportunity to victimize someone else." Miller, age 41, had pleaded guilty in February to two counts of production of child pornography after investigators found evidence he recorded his abuse between January 2022 and May 2024.
The case is significant as it highlights efforts by law enforcement and prosecutors to address crimes involving the exploitation of minors. The victims described threats made by Miller, including threats against their relatives and pets, as read in statements before Judge Schelp.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman said in court that a third juvenile victim was also abused but did not present a statement at sentencing. Investigators from Homeland Security learned about Miller through a search warrant executed at a New Jersey man's home that uncovered Kik messenger chats containing images constituting child sexual abuse material linked back to Miller.
Miller admitted both engaging in sex acts with young girls at his home and distributing photos of one victim via Kik group chat. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the Park Hills Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri advances community well-being by working with entities to prevent crime and improve quality of life, according to the official website. The office uses both the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis and Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau as noted on its official website. It operates under the United States Department of Justice as stated online and serves 49 counties across eastern Missouri according to its official site. The office investigates federal crimes such as terrorism or fraud while enforcing civil rights as detailed online.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.
