Mica Miller’s Pastor Husband Accused of Raping 15-Year-Old Girl: Lawsuit

South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller, whose estranged wife authorities say died by suicide last April, is accused in a new lawsuit of raping a 15-year-old girl decades ago.

An anonymous woman from Indiana alleges Miller raped her in 1998 when she was 15 and he was 19 and working as a youth church leader, according to a complaint filed Feb. 25 in Horry County’s Court of Common Pleas reviewed by PEOPLE.

The Jane Doe also alleged Miller touched her genitals without her consent when the two encountered each other in public in Myrtle Beach in 2023, per the complaint.

About 30 minutes later, Doe says the two got into an argument over him allegedly using his title as pastor and citing scripture to “justify sexual misconduct.” The complaint alleges Miller replied, “No man is without sin and temptation. God understands that,” citing a scripture.

Doe’s complaint notes that the alleged 2023 sexual assault “triggered repressed memories” of the alleged 1998 rape.

The complaint also names Miller’s father, Reginald Wayne Miller, as a defendant, as well as their religious affiliations, which include All Nations Cathedral Church, previously Cathedral Baptist Church of the Grand Strand, and Solid Rock Ministries.

“Behind their religious facade, John-Paul Miller and Reginald Wayne Miller engaged in sexual abuse and predatory conduct — often targeting minors,” reads the complaint. “They used their positions of power to manipulate and exploit vulnerable victims while concealing their actions from the public.”

“Their failure to create and enforce proper policies was not only negligent but reckless and willful, as they ignored clear warning signs and failed to warn minors and their families about the dangers within the church,” the complaint continues.

Referring to the alleged 1998 incident, Jane Doe claims in the complaint that she was at a church operated by Reginald when John-Paul forced her into his father’s office and “immediately became aggressive, physically overpowering Plaintiff and forcing her against the wall.”

She resisted and John-Paul instead took her outside to his truck where he allegedly raped her, the complaint states.

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The woman is suing for negligence, civil conspiracy, assault and battery, infliction of emotional distress and violation of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act.

PEOPLE could not immediately identify an attorney for John-Paul Miller or Reginald Miller. PEOPLE has also contacted Jane Doe’s attorney for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.

John-Paul came into the spotlight after his estranged wife Mica Miller, 30, was found dead at a state park on April 27, 2024, in Robeson County, N.C., in what authorities later determined was a suicide. At the time, the couple had been separated and Mica had filed for legal separation from him.

Her death stirred speculation among friends and people who have followed the case that there may have been foul play, but authorities have maintained Mica’s death was a suicide. 

An investigator with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office previously told PEOPLE there is no evidence connecting John-Paul to Mica’s death. 

In November 2024, John-Paul was arrested on accusations he assaulted a protester at his church less than a week after the FBI searched his home. He was released from custody on bond at the time, however, the current status of the assault charge is unclear.