Highland Park Man, Northwestern Staffer Charged With Possessing Child Pornography

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — A Highland Park man and Northwestern University staff member has been charged with three counts of possessing child pornography, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

Stephen A. Miller, 41, was arrested after investigators executed a residential search warrant in the 700 block of Ridge Rd., Highland Park, on Wednesday.

According to the State's Attorney's Office, the investigation began in June when alleged illicit activity on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network was found using investigative software. Investigators identified the subject's IP address and concluded he had shared several files of child sexual abuse material.

The Lake County State's Attorney's Office determined the suspect was Miller and found his location to serve a search warrant. At Miller's Highland Park home, electronic storage detection K9S Enzo and Grip helped locate additional electronic devices, which were seized and examined.

"Protecting children is one of the highest priorities of our office," Lake County 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.”

Miller worked at Northwestern University as a research assistant professor for the Laser and Electronics Design core facility.