Updated 5:29 p.m.
The Vermont State Police arrested a former Caledonia County victim’s advocate Thursday on charges he used his position to sexually exploit a crime victim and then tried to cover it up.
State police say that last May, Anthony Jackson-Miller, 39, allegedly entered into a sexual relationship with a victim he was assigned to represent and then took steps to cover up that relationship. At the time, he was employed by the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s Office as well as the Swanton Village Police Department and the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department.
The victim’s case was being prosecuted by the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to state police.
State police charged Jackson-Miller, from Stanstead, Quebec, with exploitation of a crime victim by a law enforcement officer and attempting to obstruct justice.
According to a court affidavit, Jackson-Miller allegedly coerced a victim of domestic abuse that he had been assigned to advocate for into a sexual relationship. When the victim said she was uncomfortable with the relationship, Jackson-Miller threatened to get the case against her alleged abuser dropped if she did not delete text messages to hide the relationship, court records stated. A friend of the victim reported the relationship to the Vermont State Police.
Jackson-Miller was arraigned in Vermont Superior Court in St. Johnsbury Thursday, pleaded not guilty, and was released without needing to post bail. Judge Heather Gray restricted his communications with people involved in the case and members of Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s office.
Jackson-Miller had been working with the Swanton Village Police Department and the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department, as well as the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s office. His full-time position was with the Office of Racial Equity, according to Tim Lueders-Dumont, executive director of the Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs.
Once informed of the alleged misconduct, the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Office and the state’s attorney fired Jackson-Miller, according to Lueders-Dumont and a statement from Caledonia County Sheriff Brandon Thrailkill.
