Late Mica Miller’s Husband John-Paul Miller Arrested for Assault Days After FBI Raid at His Home

John-Paul Miller was arrested for assault days after the FBI raided his home, In Touch can confirm. The South Carolina pastor has been shrouded in controversy since his estranged wife, Mica Miller, died by suicide in April.

South Carolina authorities arrested John-Paul, 45, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Wednesday, November 6, In Touch confirmed via Myrtle Beach Police Department’s online records. He was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault and battery.

Law enforcement officers reportedly responded to his church earlier on Wednesday regarding a “possible assault,” according to an arrest affidavit obtained by People. During a “protest” at the church, the alleged victim approached John-Paul and said, “Here Kitty Kitty,” the arrest warrant stated, per the outlet. However, the document did not state what the protest was about.

Police alleged that John-Paul “got into the [victim’s] face” and recorded her before tapping her cap and walking away, the affidavit reportedly noted.

Authorities obtained a video from the scene, but it did not show the alleged assault, according to the warrant.

John-Paul was arrested at his home hours after the incident and has since been released from custody on bond, the pastor’s lawyer, Russell Long, told People. The attorney also shared a video with the publication that showed a woman running toward John-Paul while the person recording the footage shouted, “Pussycat! Pussycat! Run, run, run!”

John-Paul then stopped and approached the woman in front of a car. He held his phone up to record her, although it’s unclear if this is the video footage described in the arrest warrant.

The woman could be heard yelling, “Don’t f–king touch me!” It’s unclear if John-Paul did touch the woman.

Long claimed to People that the women taunting John-Paul were “just baiting him and trying to coerce him.” The lawyer claimed his client did not assault the alleged victim, although a witness told police that John-Paul struck the person twice.

Long called John-Paul’s arrest “outrageous.”

“Enough’s enough. The city of Myrtle Beach has failed this guy and his churchgoers, they’ve allowed these people to kill this church, and they’re allowing these people to stalk and harass John-Paul Miller,” he said. “And arresting him just gives them more bait, right? It gives them more purpose. They’re not going to stop.”

The pastor’s arrest came days after Long confirmed on November 1 that the FBI had conducted a search of John-Paul’s home on Coldwater Circle in Myrtle Beach. However, when asked what they were searching for, the lawyer said they were “fishing.”

“There was no affidavit attached to the search warrant; therefore, I have no idea what it’s in relation to,” the attorney added, per The Post and Courier.

John-Paul has been at the center of protests and media attention since Mica’s death. The 30-year-old South Carolina resident died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 27. Her death was ruled a suicide after surveillance footage showed her purchasing a gun at a pawn shop and audio of a 911 call revealed that she had told a dispatcher she planned to kill herself.

John-Paul, who was going through a divorce with Mica, was not in the state at the time of her death. However, conspiracy theories about his involvement quickly took off due to Mica claiming days before she died that she was “scared for her life.” The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office shut down rumors of foul play in a media release in May.

“This incident has garnered much attention from across the Carolinas and beyond. I want to assure everyone that a very methodical investigation was conducted by our Criminal Investigations Team and Crime Scene Investigative Team,” Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said. “Unfortunately, rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly, and assumptions were being made. However, in the end, we must make decisions based on the facts, and evidence that has been gathered.”

The statement continued, “While I know it’s not what many people wanted to hear, the evidence is quite clear and compelling, and we are as saddened as anyone that this occurred. There are many factors that we have reviewed that occurred over an extended period of time that are probably related to the reason for this investigation, but in the end, sadly, a tragic decision was made by Mica that ended her life.”

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).