Lafayette “Lucky” Miller, 43, was sentenced to 27 years in prison on September 1 after pleading guilty to kidnapping and raping a teenage girl in a case that prompted an Amber Alert nearly five years ago. His plea covered two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated rape.
The case began on December 12, 2021, when Miller abducted two teenagers in North Memphis, according to Action News 5. One teen escaped and contacted police, while the other, 17-year-old Barbara Sanders, remained missing and became the subject of a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Amber Alert. Police said Miller forced himself onto one of the teens at a North Memphis business that night.
A Memphis Police Department report cited by LocalMemphis.com said Miller accompanied the two 17-year-old girls to a business near Chelsea Avenue at about 11 p.m. An emergency bulletin sought information about Miller as the investigation continued.
The Search and Recovery
Action News 5 reported that Sanders was found safely in Memphis on December 14, 2021. Miller remained at large until late 2022, nearly a year after the abduction, and investigators continued seeking him after Sanders was recovered.
Support for Families After a Child Is Recovered
According to COMEC, families dealing with a missing or runaway child, a family abduction or an urgent child-safety concern can access guidance through the organization. In Shelby County, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center provides services and a central location for agencies helping families after reported abuse, according to the Shelby County government.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued the Amber Alert in this case. The supplied sources do not provide additional details about the agency’s authority or its Missing Children Clearinghouse, including its records, public-alert functions, annual report volume or the types of cases it handles.
During the search for Miller, Memphis law enforcement sought tips from the public through the Crime Stoppers hotline at 901-528-CASH. Once captured, Miller was taken into custody.
Bond, a Return to Custody, and a Guilty Plea
Miller was initially released on an $80,000 bond but was returned to custody in January 2024, where he remained until sentencing. His September 1 guilty plea resolved the charges nearly five years after the December 2021 abduction.
The supplied reports do not identify the court jurisdiction, prosecuting office, felony classifications or statutory sentencing ranges for the counts.
Although Tennessee law contains offense-specific release-eligibility rules, the available reports do not say how much of Miller’s 27-year sentence he must serve before becoming eligible for release.
The case adds to a string of recent Tennessee stories involving missing and endangered children, including Hoodline's coverage of a toddler found hidden in an attic in Clarksville and a search that ended safely for a 6-year-old in North Knoxville.
