Mental competency exam ordered for man accused of acting as teen’s pimp
On Tuesday, for the second time this week, Gino Miller appeared in federal court to face charges that he forced a 15-year-old girl into prostitution and drove her to a Las Vegas fire station to have sex with a captain.
And, for the second time this week, Miller was not arraigned on those charges. A federal judge ordered a mental competency evaluation after the 23-year-old, who is charged with child sex trafficking and coercion, refused to answer even the most elementary questions about his case. Authorities say he acted as the 15-year-old’s pimp.
Miller, clad in a bright yellow prison jumpsuit, rocked back and forth while U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen tried to persuade him to cooperate during the proceeding.
“Yesterday, when you appeared … you uttered things like, ‘This is Babylon’ and ‘These things are lies,’” Leen said.
She asked Miller, a Las Vegas resident, whether he was prepared to answer her questions — such as whether he understands the charges he faces — so she could arraign him.
Miller paused.
“What goes around comes around,” he said.
“Yes sir, that’s a nice platitude,” Leen said, “but what I’m trying to do is make sure you have your rights.”
After Miller had provided incoherent answers to Leen’s questions Monday, defense attorneys requested the hearing be postponed a day. On Tuesday, Leen warned Miller that if he continued his behavior, she would be forced to order a mental competency evaluation. She urged him to start cooperating if he knew “what was going on,” and cautioned him that a court-ordered mental health evaluation would do nothing but further delay his case.
“Y’all wanna see me in jail,” Miller said.
“Well, sir, you are arrested … ” the judge began.
“Because of a complaint,” Miller said emphatically, interrupting Leen.
Leen asked Miller whether he understood the charges he faced. He responded that the charges were false.
“Under the circumstances, I’m going to order a mental competency exam,” the judge said.
Miller’s arrest follows the arrest of Las Vegas Fire Capt. Richard Loughry last month. Loughry, 46, was arrested for statutory sexual seduction and related felony counts. Clark County police say he had sex with a teenage girl at the firehouse, whom he found through an online escort service.
In the criminal complaint, federal authorities accuse Miller of driving the teenager to the fire station, “where she performed oral sex and vaginal intercourse for $300.” Miller collected the $300 from the teenager after her firehouse encounter, according to court records.
Contact Jenny Wilson at jenwilson@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710. Follow @jennydwilson on Twitter.
