Lea este artículo en español aquí.
San Benito County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Miller is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly loaning an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle and ammunition to a 17-year-old.
According to the complaint, a form filed by the district attorney outlining the charges, Miller, 31, lent the minor an Aero Precision X15 rifle on Feb. 21. He is charged with distributing and/or transporting an assault weapon and transferring a firearm to a minor.
No hearing has been scheduled, according to the Santa Clara County Superior Court website.
Sheriff Eric Taylor, who announced the charges on Facebook on April 21, said his office was tipped by an anonymous source about the incident, which allegedly occurred during a private dinner in Gilroy.
Taylor also said a retired DEA agent recovered the weapon from the minor’s family and provided it to the Sheriff’s Office.
Taylor told BenitoLink the rifle was Miller’s personal weapon but that it’s limited to law enforcement officials because its possession is illegal in California.
Asked if Miller’s alleged actions were a fireable offense, Taylor said, “An arrest can always lead to termination.”
Taylor said his office placed Miller on administrative leave and launched an internal affairs investigation. As the investigation progressed, he said, “it became clear to me that a felony had been committed.”
At that point, he said he reported the violations to interim Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee, whose office began a criminal investigation.
Gilroy Police Administrative Sergeant Jesus Cortez said his office was made aware of the allegations on Feb. 26.
Taylor said Miller surrendered to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office for processing.
“While we’re restricted by the Peace Officer Bill of Rights regarding the specifics of our ongoing personnel action, please know we are following the law to ensure a just outcome,” Taylor said. “The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to the highest standards of conduct. We hold our deputies to the same laws they are sworn to uphold.”
In April 2022, the Sheriff’s Office and San Juan Bautista made Miller the city’s dedicated deputy.
Miller joined the San Benito County Sheriff’s in October 2021 and previously served in the Fresno County Jail and with the Scotts Valley Police Department. He has been in law enforcement since 2018.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.