INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Councilman Jeff Miller has resigned from the Indianapolis City-County Council.
The resignation is part of a plea agreement that Miller took Wednesday. He has pleaded guilty to four felony counts of battery on a person less than 14 years old after admitting to touching and massaging a pair of 10-year-old girls at his home.
The plea agreement ends a case that began in November when Marion County prosecutors charged him with three counts of child molestation.
Hamilton County Prosecutor D. Lee Buckingham II, who took over the case in January, reached a deal with Miller’s attorneys that downgraded the charges while still resulting in felony convictions.
The agreement will allow Miller to avoid sex offender status. Instead, he was sentenced to four years of probation, with some additional conditions. As part of his agreement, Miller will also not be able live within one mile of his victims.
Marion County Republicans will now call a caucus within the next 30 days to name Miller’s successor.
“I’m glad its over,” said Senator Jim Merritt, Republican County Chairman. “This has been a long time getting justice delivered.”
Miller’s successor will serve out his term which is up for election in November of next year.
The now-dismissed molestation charges were a result of a report filed with IMPD investigators on Oct. 20. According to court documents, police executed a search warrant for Miller’s downtown home the next day.
Miller is described as a hands-on father with a self admitted fear of interacting with women, according to witness statements detailed in a 14-page probable cause affidavit.
Miller stated repeatedly to a detective that he was "petrified" of adult women, according to the document, and said he had not had sex in at least six years.
