A 44-year-old man has admitted to groping a teenager at a community pool in a Hugo housing development.
Jeremy John Miller, of Hugo, pleaded guilty Friday in Washington County District Court to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct of a minor in connection with the July 28 incident in the Water’s Edge housing development.
Jeremy John Miller (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
A second count involving another teenager will be dismissed at sentencing as part of a plea deal he reached with prosecutors. It also calls for a stay of imposition, which means the felony conviction will be considered a misdemeanor if he successfully completes probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10.
According to the criminal complaint, a 14-year-old girl told deputies July 28 that a man approached her at the pool in the 15000 block of Farnham Avenue North and made comments about wanting a girlfriend. He told her he should “pay her” and touched himself. He also gave her a “creepy” look as he spoke, the girl reported.
Shortly afterward he swam underwater toward her and groped her. When she kicked to get away from him, he followed her and grabbed her foot.
The girl said she got out of the pool and told him to stop doing what he was doing. She said he responded that he was trying to get his daughter, who was also in the pool.
Video footage at the pool showed Miller then approached the girl and, as she tried to back away and told him to stop, he grabbed her and threw her into the water.
A 13-year-old boy at the pool that day said the man also came up to him from behind and “bear hugged” him, running his hands down the boy’s body and grabbing his crotch, the complaint says. Also, when the boy was playing football in the pool with others, the man had groped him several times while “tackling” him.
Adults at the pool described the man as “acting creepy toward the kids” and identified him as Miller.
Deputies were not able to make contact with Miller that day. The next day, authorities were told the man was back at the pool and he was arrested.
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