A Highland Park man, who has been the director of Northwestern University’s laser and electronics design core facility since 2015, has been arrested on possession of child pornography charges, according to Lake County prosecutors and his LinkedIn profile.
Stephen A. Miller, 41, was arrested on three felony counts after police searched his residence Wednesday. A Northwestern spokesperson declined comment, citing university policies.
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Lake County prosecutors said they began an investigation in June after learning someone was sharing illicit content on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Miller, authorities said, downloaded and shared several files of child sexual abuse material from an IP address in Lake County.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Miller’s residence in the 700 block of Ridge Road, and executed the search Wednesday. Specially trained dogs helped investigators locate electronic devices, which were seized and then searched by forensic examiners from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
“Protecting children is one of the highest priorities of our office,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “Our Cybercrimes Division, special investigators, and law enforcement partners continue working tirelessly to uncover critical evidence in cases involving the exploitation of children.
“We will continue investing in the tools, resources, and partnerships necessary to hold offenders accountable,” he said.