Sex Offender, 71, Pleads Not Guilty to Molestation of 10-Year-Old at San Mateo Bookstore

By Bay City News Service:    

A 71-year-old registered sex offender who is accused of luring a 10-year-old girl to an isolated part of a San Mateo Barnes and Noble bookstore last June and allegedly exposing himself to her before forcing her to touch him, pleaded not guilty to molestation and other charges in court this week.

Christopher Miller, of San Jose, allegedly approached the girl in the children's reading area of the store, located at 11 W. Hillsdale Blvd., around 3 p.m. on June 23. It was there that he allegedly exposed himself and ordered her to touch his penis.

He then allegedly lured her to a secluded portion of the store near the bathrooms where he again exposed himself and touched the girl over her clothing, according to prosecutors.

Allegedly, he asked for the girl's name and address and asked when she was normally alone, prosecutors said.

Miller was arrested in September through a multi-agency effort after he was wanted for other crimes involving children, including allegedly exposing himself to young children in Union City and at a Mountain View Walmart.

According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, he was convicted in Santa Clara County on Nov. 25 last year on indecent exposure and felony child annoyance charges. He was sentenced to four years in state prison.

On Thursday he pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, forced oral copulation, exposing, and child molestation charges, according to Wagstaffe.

In the San Mateo County case, a jury trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 6. He remains in custody on $25,000 bail, according to Wagstaffe.