SB Now

By Robert Rogers, staff writer
Article Launched: 07/09/2008 12:19:36 PM PDT

The younger brother of accused child molester and former Operation Phoenix manager Mike Miller spoke on behalf of the Miller family Wednesday. Joe Miller said the family wanted only to extend their prayers to the alleged victims and their families.

Miller, 45, said no member of the Miller family to his knowledge had visited Mike Miller at West Valley Detention Center since his arrest last week. Joe Miller added that no family attended his brother's arraignment Tuesday, when Mike Miller was officially hit with 24 counts, including lewd acts on a child possessing child pornography.

Prosecutors allege Miller molested two young girls, now 7, this year and a now-23-year-old woman when she was child in 1997 and 1998.

"These alleged crimes, if they're true, our hearts and prayers go out to the families affected by this," Joe Miller said.

Miller stopped short of condemning his brother, but said, "If this comes out to be. ... be true ... they're in our prayers."

"This is a tragic situation that everybody's in," Joe Miller said. "We hope .... this is just a tragic occasion that happened."

Joe Miller lives in San Diego. He would not comment on his brother's wife and children, who live in Highland.

"We're all in prayer right now."

Miller said he wanted to keep his message on behalf of the family simple and straightforward.

"What do you say? What do you do? This is ugly," Miller said.

Miller said the family may issue more statements in the future.

"My main reason for calling is because I want to make sure the families know that they are in our prayers."