Michael Miller - Molested girls for years - while coaching Little League

Michael Miller also a Little League Volunteer

Operation Phoenix Youth Center Director Michael Miller was arraigned Tuesday in San Bernardino Superior Court on 23 counts of alleged child molestation.

Miller who is married, is accused of molesting two young girls in recent months and another more than ten years ago.

Appearing before Judge Brian McCarville via a video hookup from jail, Miller pleaded not guilty to:

One count of a forcible lewd act and three counts of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child, occurring from October to last Wednesday, the day before police arrested Miller at a Redlands restaurant. The charges outlined in a 36-page criminal complaint states that the girl now 7 was 6 when the alleged molestation began.

Miller is also charged with one count of a lewd act upon another 6 year old girl during the same period.

Eighteen counts of lewd acts including oral copulation upon a child from June 1997 through November 1998. The complaint states the acts began when the girl was 12 until her 14th birthday.

One count of possessing child pornography that appeared to have been downloaded from an Internet site.

San Bernardino County Supervising District Attorney Denise Trager-Dvorak said the oldest allegations were discovered during an investigation of Miller last week in connection with the molestation allegations at the center housed in the Church of the Nazarene located on Sierra Way.

Judge McCarville assigned the Public Defender's Office to represent the defendant when he stated he could not afford an attorney. He remains jailed on $1 million bail.

Michael Steven Miller 48 was arrested on molestation charges July 3, 2008. He was booked into San Bernardino West Valley Detention Center on $1 million bail, on one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.

There is now a growing concern that there may be a trail of victims. Miller was a Little League volunteer. According to a District 43 Little League website, Miller served as a board member and Umpire in Charge (UIC). Following his arrest Thursday, July 3 website links to Miller at the Operation Phoenix center were abruptly removed. District 43 officials offered no comment.

Miller, 48 of San Bernardino worked at the center overseeing recreation programs for underprivileged youth since 2006 and has been a Parks and Recreation Center employee since 1999. He also served as a Police Department volunteer as well as a community service supervisor.

Operation Phoenix, a controversial crime-fighting program is the brain child of Mayor Pat Morris designed to provide education, mentoring, games and athletics for some of the city's most vulnerable youth.

San Bernardino police Lt. Scott Paterson said a background check on Miller was conducted and only revealed a previous petty theft incident.

Detectives revealed few details of the case, both to preserve elements of the criminal investigation and to protect the privacy of the victims. Miller could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.