Alleged prolific Pennsylvania Peeping Tom gives himself up after lots of looking, filming: cops
In January, a neighbor allegedly saw John Robert Miller Jr., 56, of Greensburg, Pa., standing on a sawhorse outside a woman's home as she used her bathroom.
The neighbor tackled Miller and held him until police arrived. Months later, officials believe they have unraveled the case of a most prolific Peeping Tom, who allegedly looked, photographed and filmed numerous victims on multiple occasions.
When state police searched Miller's cellphone, they discovered evidence that he had filmed other people undressed and involved in sexual activity in Unity and Greensburg homes, the website reports.
Miller is back in custody after skipping out on his preliminary hearing and fleeing for more than a week. He was arraigned on Friday on several more charges related to his flight and jailed on $225,000 bail.
Background: Miller has admitted he "had a problem and couldn't stop videoing women in their homes in various stages of undress," Trooper Patrick Ciriello wrote in an affidavit.
Miller faces a long list of accusations based on the forensic examination of the many pictures and video on his phone.
All of his alleged peeping, picturing and filming occurred at night.
Miller is charged with multiple counts of intercept communications, design or copy of obscene material, invasion of privacy, and loitering and prowling at night, TribLive reports.
Records show he was sentenced in September 2003 in connection with multiple burglary cases, the website adds.
Pennsylvania trailer park is setting for nearly a decade of alleged child sex abuse
The alleged sexual abuse of two children dates back to 2003. The investigation by Pennsylvania State Police took months. And now Joseph Gerhart, 48, faces 12 sexual abuse charges including two counts each of rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault of a child in Northampton County.
The victims, a male and a female, were between the ages of five and 11 when the crimes occurred, records say. I'm not able to conclude whether they were his own children or not. Perhaps it's best that way.
All of the alleged crimes happened at the Portland Trailer Park in Upper Mount Bethel Twp., but apparently no one there ever suspected, according to reports by WFMZ-TV citing police sources.
Investigators claim the abuse took place from 2003 until 2011, the Allentown news station said. And the accused's brother, John Gerhart, is speaking out to the WFMZ:
"My brother's dead in my eyes," said the suspect's brother, John Gerhart. "If this is true and he done it, he's dead in my eyes."
John Gerhart told WFMZ that he lives across the street from the mobile home where police allege the crimes took place. He said there were no warnings signs at all.
"None, none," he said. "Kids never said a word."
John Gerhart told WFMZ that the alleged victims have seen both medical doctors and psychiatrists. He said why they chose to come forward now, after so many years, is still a mystery. 3 years are not so many. John Gerhart said his brother has denied the allegations.
The alleged victims are struggling to cope, John Gerhart told WFMZ, adding: "Going on with their life -- dealing with it as best as possible," he said.
Suspect Joseph Gerhart is now free on bail. He couldn't be reached for comment by the news station.
In January, a neighbor allegedly saw John Robert Miller Jr., 56, of Greensburg, Pa., standing on a sawhorse outside a woman's home as she used her bathroom.
The neighbor tackled Miller and held him until police arrived. Months later, officials believe they have unraveled the case of a most prolific Peeping Tom, who allegedly looked, photographed and filmed numerous victims on multiple occasions.
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| John Robert Miller Jr. |
When state police searched Miller's cellphone, they discovered evidence that he had filmed other people undressed and involved in sexual activity in Unity and Greensburg homes, the website reports.
Miller is back in custody after skipping out on his preliminary hearing and fleeing for more than a week. He was arraigned on Friday on several more charges related to his flight and jailed on $225,000 bail.
Background: Miller has admitted he "had a problem and couldn't stop videoing women in their homes in various stages of undress," Trooper Patrick Ciriello wrote in an affidavit.
Miller faces a long list of accusations based on the forensic examination of the many pictures and video on his phone.
All of his alleged peeping, picturing and filming occurred at night.
Miller is charged with multiple counts of intercept communications, design or copy of obscene material, invasion of privacy, and loitering and prowling at night, TribLive reports.
Records show he was sentenced in September 2003 in connection with multiple burglary cases, the website adds.
Pennsylvania trailer park is setting for nearly a decade of alleged child sex abuse
The alleged sexual abuse of two children dates back to 2003. The investigation by Pennsylvania State Police took months. And now Joseph Gerhart, 48, faces 12 sexual abuse charges including two counts each of rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault of a child in Northampton County.
The victims, a male and a female, were between the ages of five and 11 when the crimes occurred, records say. I'm not able to conclude whether they were his own children or not. Perhaps it's best that way.
All of the alleged crimes happened at the Portland Trailer Park in Upper Mount Bethel Twp., but apparently no one there ever suspected, according to reports by WFMZ-TV citing police sources.
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| Home for sale in Portland Trailer Park - not Gerhart's home |
"My brother's dead in my eyes," said the suspect's brother, John Gerhart. "If this is true and he done it, he's dead in my eyes."
John Gerhart told WFMZ that he lives across the street from the mobile home where police allege the crimes took place. He said there were no warnings signs at all.
"None, none," he said. "Kids never said a word."
John Gerhart told WFMZ that the alleged victims have seen both medical doctors and psychiatrists. He said why they chose to come forward now, after so many years, is still a mystery. 3 years are not so many. John Gerhart said his brother has denied the allegations.
The alleged victims are struggling to cope, John Gerhart told WFMZ, adding: "Going on with their life -- dealing with it as best as possible," he said.
Suspect Joseph Gerhart is now free on bail. He couldn't be reached for comment by the news station.
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