LANCASTER, PA — In a stern verdict delivered last Thursday, an Elizabethtown man was sentenced to serve between 18 and 36 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography. Philip Miller, 64, of the 800 block of Rutts Road, admitted to five felony counts of possessing child pornography and three felony counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
The sentencing by Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright reflects the severity of Miller’s crimes which have been described as persistent and flagrant by the prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp. “Despite having previously been convicted of possessing child pornography, Philip Miller continued to download large amounts of it. His conduct displays not only a disregard for the law, but for the decency of the children who are victimized in the making of child pornography.”
Miller’s illicit activities were first brought to light through a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in October 2022. Investigators traced child pornography back to Miller’s phone, and a subsequent search warrant uncovered multiple videos featuring indecent contact with children. Despite being charged in January 2023, Miller brazenly continued to download and possess child pornography on both his new cell phone and work computers, leading to additional charges in April 2023.
While still under investigation, employees of Miller stumbled upon disturbing content on his computer while assisting customers. They reported that a search history revealing interest in minor girls was discovered, and Miller had instructed a coworker to dispose of a hard drive and ram from his office shortly before his arrest. A search warrant executed at Miller’s tax office led to the recovery of the hardware, which contained more explicit content involving children.
Miller had previously been convicted of possessing child pornography in 2008. This latest conviction serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing fight against child exploitation and the severe consequences for those who ignore the law. The commendable efforts of Northwest Regional Police Detective Charles Tobias, who filed charges and investigated the case, have ensured justice for the victims of these heinous crimes.
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