Long Island Math Teacher Masturbated In Front Of Teen: Police

A Smithtown teacher was arrested on Friday night after police say he masturbated in front of a teenage girl while directing a youth theater group in Northport. Police also believe additional people in the Northport and Smithtown areas may have been subjected to the man's behavior.

According to Northport Village Police, 35-year-old Northport resident Robert J. Miller, who is a technical director at Northport Community Theater and a math teacher at Smithtown West High School, was directing a theater group at the William J. Brosnan Administration Building, located at 158 Laurel Ave. in Northport, when he asked a 15-year-old girl to help him look at an issue with his car at 8:16 p.m.

Miller had the girl sit in the car and rev the engine as he looked under the car. Police say he told the girl to take off one of her shoes and socks to “feel the vibration of the gas pedal.” The girl noticed Miller was then standing outside the drivers’ side door while masturbating with his zipper down and hand in his pants, police say.

Miller told the girl to look forward and watch the dashboard gauges as he continued to masturbate, police say.
The teen then got out of the car and went back into the building.

Northport Police was notified and placed Miller under arrest. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and first-degree public lewdness. He was arraigned in Northport Village Justice Court and released on $2,000 cash bail.

In a statement on the district's website, Smithtown Superintendent James Grossane said Miller "has been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately and we will continue to assist in the police investigation, as needed."

Miller earns $107,854 as a teacher, according to state records. Grossane said there have been no incidents reported during Miller's 14 years working in the district.

If anyone feels they were a victim of Miller in the Northport area, contact Det. Peter Hayes or Det. Peter Howard of the Northport Police Department at 631-261-7500. If anyone in the Smithtown area believes they are a victim of Miller, they should call the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Precinct Detective Squad at 631-854-8452.

Image via Northport Police