Menlo Park man facing 11 sexual assault charges

A 38-year-old Menlo Park man has been charged with 11 sexual assault offenses that could result in life in prison if he is convicted, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

Chad Miller is facing three counts of oral copulation of an intoxicated person; two counts each of sodomy of an intoxicated person, sexual penetration, and oral copulation by use of force or threat; and one count each of rape by use of an intoxicating substance and assault with intent to commit sexual assault, Wagstaffe said.

There are four victims in the case, he said.

“With the premise of his being a modeling photographer, he would get the victims intoxicated and then take advantage of them,” he said. “There were multiple incidents with some of the victims.”

The alleged assaults took place at Miller’s Menlo Park home and at his Redwood City photography studio between 2014 and 2018, Wagstaffe said.

The victims reportedly decided to come forward after sharing their stories in an online chat room, he said.

San Mateo Police Department detectives arrested Miller on a warrant on Dec. 20.

Judge Amarra Lee reduced Miller’s bail from $1.1 million to $350,000 at his arraignment the next day based on the fact that he has lived in the area for 34 years and at the same location for 13 years and had steady employment for four years, making him unlikely to be a flight risk, Wagstaffe said.

Miller pleaded not guilty and remains out of custody after posting bail in cash, Wagstaffe said. He is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial conference on Nov. 18, with a jury trial set to begin Jan. 6, 2020.