Man admits to trying to recruit students for sex

An after-care counselor who was fired from Plantation Middle School pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges he tried to lure three underage boys into sexual activity with him.

Roosevelt Miller, 20, of Fort Lauderdale, came under scrutiny in March when a 13-year-old boy told school officials that Miller had sent him inappropriate sexual messages and texts on his cellphone. Two other boys, both age 14, later reported Miller had also sent them similar messages.

On Thursday, Miller pleaded guilty to three counts of using a cellphone to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. He faces 10 years to life in federal prison when he is sentenced in September in federal court in Fort Lauderdale.

He was fired from his job as a counselor or assistant for the HANDY program, which is operated by a private contractor at the school, after the allegations emerged. Investigators said he continued to contact some of the children and told them he had to be “careful.”

Miller admitted Thursday that he used text messages, FaceTime, Kik, Instagram and other cellphone applications to contact the boys, who were all students at the middle school. The children met him at the after-care program or through friends who attended the program.

He said he obtained their numbers by asking them to put their names and contact information on a sign-up sheet to play basketball or football.

After he was arrested in April, Miller told investigators he had fondled the private parts of one underage boy at a bus stop, attempted to lure at least one boy to come to his home for sex and had urged the children to conceal what he was doing, prosecutors said. He told investigators he had approached seven underage boys, seeking sexual activity.

He admitted he offered to put $300 in some of the children’s underwear or pockets if they would let him touch their genitals. He also offered gifts, shoes, clothing and a trip to Disney World if the children complied with his requests. Miller asked one of the 14-year-old boys to meet him in a school restroom to give him a bank card, records show.