The controversial South Carolina pastor who got here beneath nationwide scrutiny following his spouse Mica Miller’s obvious suicide was arrested on assault expenses simply days after an FBI raid at his residence.
John-Paul Miller, 45, was charged with third-degree assault and battery following a confrontation with a “Justice for Mica” protester exterior his Myrtle Seashore church on Wednesday, in keeping with WBTW.
The embattled pastor spent the night time in jail and was given a $776 bond throughout a 20-minute listening to Thursday morning.
He’s scheduled to be again in courtroom on the afternoon of Dec. 10.
The incident that led as much as Miller’s arrest remains to be beneath investigation, however WBTW information crews captured footage of Miller seemingly having it out with a lady protesting at his church.
Miller has been the goal of protests since his estranged spouse, Mica Miller, died by suicide in April.
“What did you say? You walked proper as much as me,” Miller demanded of the girl within the video of the confrontation, which occurred Wednesday.
He was then seen gesturing on the lady, who claimed that he put his fingers on her.
The heated change got here at some point after Miller’s church, Stable Rock, was emptied out and even had its web site and cellphone quantity disconnected, WBTW information famous.
Each Miller and a church adviser declined to remark to native media.
Final week, the FBI executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence.
Miller’s lawyer claimed he had “no thought” what the search was associated to, although the pastor has been the middle of controversy since his spouse’s demise.
Mica Miller, 30, was discovered lifeless from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park on April 27, a pair days after she served her husband with divorce papers.
She was reportedly heard crying for a number of minutes earlier than she took her personal life.
Within the months since her demise, Mica’s family have begged legislation enforcement to “deeply” examine the case and allegations that Miller had abused her.
Mica had accused Miller of slashing her tires, putting in a monitoring gadget on her automotive, hospitalized her in opposition to her will – and “grooming” her starting when she was simply 10 years outdated.
John-Paul Miller made additional headlines when he introduced Mica’s demise casually throughout a sermon at Stable Rock.
“I bought a name late final night time, my spouse has handed away. It was self-induced and it was up in North Carolina,” he advised the congregation.
He later claimed that Mica suffered from psychological sickness and had been hospitalized a number of instances prior to now – whereas insisting that he tried to “increase her from the lifeless.”
Miller denied all of the accusations of abuse and involvement in his spouse’s demise.
Information of Mica’s demise and the allegations in opposition to Miller divided the Stable Rock neighborhood, and the rifts grew deeper as soon as the FBI launched an investigation into the scenario.
When the probe was opened in Might, Damien McLean of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Workplace clarified that the investigation was “separate from (Mica’s) demise.”
The FBI eliminated a number of objects from Miller’s residence through the search final week, together with some laptop tools, WBTW stated.
Each the Stable Rock church and Miller’s home are a part of a $5.59 million actual property portfolio managed by Stable Rock Ministries, the outlet reported.
It was not instantly clear if Stable Rock was relocating after clearing out of its Myrtle Seashore location.
Final month, Miller was named as a registered company for one more entity, “Residing Water Church at Market Frequent Inc.”