A Claremore man has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for sexually abusing a young woman who was incapable of giving consent. According to a U.S. Department of Justice release, Cody Paul Miller, 47, was convicted of Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country following a federal jury trial in January.
U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III handed down the 138-month imprisonment sentence to Miller on top of a subsequent five-year supervised release. Upon completion of his prison term, Miller is mandated to register as a sex offender. This case, unfolding within the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation, has led to Miller's continuing detention while awaiting transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Miller's conviction stems from an incident in July 2023, where an 18-year-old and her two minor friends were drinking at his house. The victim testified, she found herself waking up to Miller assaulting her despite her protests and pleads for him to stop. Later, after escaping Miller’s residence, the young woman confided in a friend, who encouraged her to report the crime.
When interviewed by police, Miller painted a different picture of the night's events, claiming that the interactions were consensual and ceased when the victim objected. He remarked to officials that the victim “got drunk really fast that night", and even “fell off the bed” because of her intoxication, thus implicating her state at the time of the alleged consent, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The FBI worked alongside the Collinsville Police Department in the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Matthew P. Cyran leading the prosecution.
