Other School Officials Charged
with Failing to Report the Abuse
U.S. Attorney’s Office
September 29, 2014 • Western District of Kentucky (502)
582-5911
LOUISVILLE, KY—A federal grand
jury charged a Grayson County, Kentucky, man with violating federal laws
designed to protect children from sexual abuse as well as
threatening/intimidating a witness. The grand jury also charged several other
school officials with failing to report the abuse, announced David J. Hale,
United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
Stephen E. Miller, age 44,
previously worked as a police officer in Leitchfield, Kentucky. He resigned the
position following complaints of inappropriate sexual activity toward two
women. Miller then began working at Bluegrass Challenge Academy, a residential,
educational program run by the Kentucky National Guard, located on Fort Knox
Military Base. Miller had supervisory authority over the Academy students. He
is charged with engaging in sexual contact with three students, including an
incident of aggravated sexual abuse with one of the three. The incidents
occurred between February and August, 2013. The Indictment also charges Miller
with attempting to threaten or intimidate the third student to prevent her from
reporting the matter to law enforcement.
Additionally, the grand jury
charged school officials, John W. Smith, Leroy Burgess, Jr., Kemmye S. Graves,
Rolanshia Windom, Rita Carthen, and Gabriel Onusko with failing to report the
first incident of abuse to law enforcement officials, as required by federal
law.
If convicted, Miller faces a
maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $1,250,000 and at least
five years of supervised release. The remaining defendants, if convicted, face
maximum sentences of one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000 and up to one
year of supervised release. Miller is being held in the custody of the United
States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States
Attorneys Jo E. Lawless and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case. The
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the Army Criminal
Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
