FBI arrests ex-city cop in online sex-ring case

A former Reading police officer was arrested Thursday by the FBI on charges he helped set up a prostitution ring run by Paul S. "God" Sewell and tried to bribe partners in the ring to lie about his involvement after they were indicted, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia.

Ronald R. Miko, 37, a nine-year veteran of the force, was charged with obstruction of a criminal investigation in a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

Miko was arrested Thursday afternoon by FBI agents and taken into federal custody. He was scheduled to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Philadelphia today.

According to the indictment:

Miko used a room in a house owned by Sewell - who identified himself as "God" - in the 200 block of North 10th Street, where Sewell and co-defendant Michael Johnson operated an Internet-based call girl operation named "God's Prostitutes." A nearby house in the 200 block of Fisher Court also was used for the business.

The ring operators branded the prostitutes, with names such as "God's Rebel" and "God's Taken" tattooed on the back of their necks. Some of the prostitutes were underage girls.

Sewell, 46, and Johnson, 41, were arrested by Berks County detectives in the summer of 2010.

They were indicted on federal sex-trafficking charges on Nov. 4, 2010.

The indictment alleges that between May 2 and June 7, 2011, Miko wired money to Johnson's federal prison account to keep Johnson and Sewell quiet about Miko's involvement in the business.

If convicted, Miko faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to the federal grand jury:

In 2007, Miko advised Sewell on how to set up the business. Between 2007 and 2010, Miko offered advice to Sewell about the females employed by the ring.

Miko sometimes lived at the 10th Street property and used a room there from about 2005 until it was raided by county detectives on July 28, 2010.

Investigators said he had sexual relations with women at the property who were not part of the prostitution business.

Miko visited the properties several times a week, sometimes in uniform in his squad car.

Sewell and Johnson lived in the house on 10th Street.

After the men were jailed, Miko tried to bribe them not to talk about his involvement in the operation. He wired an undisclosed amount of money to Johnson's federal prison account in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.

City Council fired Miko in January 2011.

Investigators said Miko also was a bodyguard for Sewell.

Sewell, a former bounty hunter who unsuccessfully tried to have his name legally changed to God, was charged with producing child pornography, among other crimes.

District Attorney John T. Adams declined comment. Police Chief William M. Heim could not be reached.