Computer has child porn

Date: January 06, 2008
Source: Iberianet.com
By: JEFF MOORE

A Coteau man suspected in the death of his 7-year-old son now faces additional charges after investigators allege they found found child pornography on his computer.

Michael Miller, 36, was charged with 10 counts of pornography involving juveniles, Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert said Friday. He remains in the Iberia Parish Jail.

Miller was arrested on a second-degree murder charge last month following the death of his son, Dylan Louviere.

Hebert said detectives located multiple images of child pornography during a subsequent search of Miller’s computer.

Hebert said the images are believed to be pictures downloaded from the Internet. He said none of the images are believed to be of Louviere or other local children.

Hebert said deputies decided to search Miller’s computer following interviews with witnesses.

He said deputies also learned Miller had been arrested in 2004 for indecent behavior with a juvenile, a charge that was eventually dismissed.

“Once we started conducting interviews with people who had a connection to the family, it led us to broaden the parameters of our investigation,” Hebert said. “When you heard as much as we heard about this person, you wondered how deep it would go.”

Hebert said detectives obtained a warrant to seize Miller’s computer, which was brought the Louisiana Attorney General’s High Tech Crimes Unit in Baton Rouge.

Hebert said investigators identified multiple photographs as child pornography through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Child Victim Identification Program.

Attorney General spokeswoman Jennifer Cluck said she was not familiar with the Miller case, but said local law enforcement agencies routinely seek the help of the High Tech Crimes Unit when investigating child pornography and other computer crimes.

Investigators use a variety of techniques, including a computer forensics laboratory to recover data criminals thought they had deleted. Agents also conduct undercover investigations in which they monitor chat rooms and instant messaging for pedophiles, according to the HTCU’s Web site.

The Child Victim Identification Program assists with child pornography cases across the country by using the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Child Recognition &Identification System.

The system allows the arresting agency to identify children in child pornography to verify they are under age.

Louviere died on Dec. 7. Hebert said Miller told investigators he fell on the boy while hanging Christmas decorations, but medical staff said the boy’s injuries did not match up with the father’s statements. Preliminary autopsy findings indicated evidence the child was physically abused, Iberia Parish Coroner Dr. James Falterman said last week. The cause of the child’s death, however, has not yet been determined.

Miller’s bond on the pornography charges was set at $35,000. His bond on the murder charge remains at $500,000.

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