San Benito County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Miller Arrested by Gilroy Police
According to KSBW TV Action News 8, a San Benito County sheriff’s deputy is facing felony and misdemeanor charges for suspicion of loaning an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition to a 17-year-old.
San Benito County Sheriff Eric Taylor announced the case in a public statement on social media, saying the sheriff’s office received information from an anonymous source alleging that Deputy Ryan Miller, 31, had loaned the weapon and ammunition to the student at a private dinner in Gilroy.
According to Taylor, a retired DEA agent, he later recovered the firearm from the student’s family at their request and turned it over to the sheriff’s office.
Miller was immediately placed on administrative leave while the sheriff’s office launched an internal affairs investigation.
As that investigation progressed, Taylor said it became clear that a felony had been committed.
Taylor then contacted Gilroy Interim Police Chief Scott Smithee to report the matter because the incident occurred within Gilroy’s jurisdiction.
The Gilroy Police Department opened a separate criminal investigation, which Taylor said is standard procedure to ensure transparency and accountability.
Following that investigation, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Miller.
He is accused of one felony count under Penal Code 30600(a), which prohibits giving or lending an assault weapon, and one misdemeanor count under Penal Code 27505(a), which bars selling, loaning, or transferring a firearm to someone under 21.
Through coordination with his attorney, Miller surrendered to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office for processing and was booked into Santa Clara County Jail.
He has since been released from custody after posting $50,000 bail, according to his attorney, Carlos Vega.
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